


back from the dead

by shuichis_hat



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bisexual Naegi Makoto, Dork Naegi Makoto, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gay Togami Byakuya, M/M, Naegami, Spoilers for trigger happy havoc, after naegi's execution, byakuya is pretty, can I imply some kirihina? yes? ok here you go, guys seriously violin togami is best togami, im writing this at 4 am please forgive me, mostly in canon, naegi self deprecates a bit, no beta reader because I will die an honorable death, slight canon divergence but not too much, slowburn, spoilers in tags, they're idiots, togami doesn't know what feelings are, togami is bad at feelings, togami plays the violin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuichis_hat/pseuds/shuichis_hat
Summary: After Naegi's execution, Byakuya Togami realizes that he might just care for Makoto Naegi.
Relationships: Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 142
Kudos: 590





	1. revival

**Author's Note:**

> au where they think naegi’s dead after his execution, and kyoko’s journey to get him back is a secret. also they have way more time between naegi’s ‘execution’ and the final trial bc we need time for this slowburn bro :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first song that togami plays: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdbM7kZz-lU

_He was gone._

  
Togami stared numbly at the floor, unmoving, his expression unrevealing of the mess of emotions swirling inside of him. After the trial, the others had quietly made their way to the dining hall, save for Kirigiri and himself. _To mourn in solidarity,_ Togami surmised. After all, they had just lost their keystone, their positivity, their will to keep moving forward- a group doesn’t just immediately recover from a loss like that. Kirigiri had left the trial silently, without tears in her eyes, without the reflection of heartbreak or fury that Togami saw in the eyes of the others- she just boasted her characteristic stoicness. It almost - not quite, but almost - angered Togami that she refused to mourn his death. Hadn’t the two been close, before the newest chapter of their school life? Her reaction was utterly confounding.

  
And now here Togami was, sitting on his bed, surprised at the intensity of the grief and anger that had arisen as he was forced to watch Naegi die. His execution had been less brutal than the ones preceding it, and he hadn’t felt much more than a distant horror at the atrocities unfolding in front of his eyes in the previous trials, so why should he suddenly feel broken, hurt, _shattered_ after Naegi’s? He never had really liked the boy, although Togami supposed that it was easier to endure the small brunette’s company than it was to endure that of his other classmates, or anyone else, really. Naegi was chipper and positive and upbeat and he _grated on Togami’s nerves_ and the heir couldn’t possibly speculate as to why he was so drawn to him, why the Ultimate Lucky student made Togami feel things that he hadn’t felt in years, why he couldn’t tear his eyes off of him when he was flashing that too-wide smile, why-

  
Togami exhaled. He didn’t know why he was thinking all these foreign thoughts now, after all that had happened. After all, the boy was dead, and Togami wasn’t one to linger on the past.

  
_He was gone._

  
_Naegi was dead._

  
And Togami didn’t care. He pressed his fingernails into his palm and grated his teeth, repeating that mantra in his head: _I don’t care. I don’t care. He doesn’t matter to me. He’s no different than Kuwata or Oowada or Yasuhiro or Ogami. I don’t care…_

Togami must’ve fallen asleep during his repetitions of those same phrases, because when he next opened his eyes, it was to the sound of that damned bear’s morning announcements. He grimaced at the realization that he had fallen asleep in his suit, but he almost didn’t care all that much. Not as much as he would’ve before Hope’s Peak, that is. It almost didn’t seem to matter- his appearance didn’t hold the same magnitude that it used to.

  
_Perplexing._

  
Togami changed into a clean outfit and silently stalked down to the dining hall, ignoring Hina’s ploys to get his attention, and Hagakure’s loud talking to himself, and Fukawa’s relentless advances towards him. The swirl of sounds muddling inside his head felt like daggers, sharper than usual. The heir supposed that he was just on edge, although that even in itself was odd, because hardly anything inside this building could succeed in grating on his nerves- aside from Fukawa, of course.

  
In fact, shouldn’t he feel more at ease today, if anything? One more competitor was gone, out of his sight forever. Naegi would never annoy him again. So why did Togami get a bitter taste in his mouth when considering that fact?

  
He sighed in frustration. This killing school life must finally be getting to him, wearing him down little by little. The trial yesterday hadn’t been particularly stressful, but the one before it all but knocked the ground out from under Togami’s feet, and he was probably still on edge from that.

  
Yes. That was certainly it.

  
“G-guys…” Fukawa said softly, snapping Togami out of his thoughts and back into the real world. “Where’s K-kirigiri?”

  
Hagakure shrugged. “Probably lookin’ for an exit or something. I dunno. Things are weird right now, man. Who’s to say what’s going through anyone’s minds?”

  
Hina suddenly slammed her hands against the table. “I have something to share with you three.” She fixed them each with a determined glare. “I don’t think Naegi’s dead. I think he’s somewhere in this building, and- and we’re going to find him.”

  
Togami, despite himself, drew in a quick breath at her words. A rock settled at the bottom of his stomach. _Alive? How would that be possible..?_ Hina barely paused before continuing to speak once more.

  
“We didn’t see any blood, right? The other executions have been, well…” here she paused, biting her lip before continuing, “bloody, to say the least. Wouldn’t you think we would’ve seen a splatter with him being crushed like that?”

  
Togami considered. The girl had made a good point, that was sure. In the other executions, it had always been clear that the blackened was killed- blood, butter, ashes… you name it. He made a small approving noise from the back of his throat.

  
“You could be onto something, Asahina,” Togami admitted. “It’s possible that the execution could’ve failed, somehow, in a way that made it unclear to us spectators…” He smirked. This made their game much more interesting, and he felt a twinge of happiness spark in his chest. An unexpected twist was always fun.

  
“Pupupupupu!!”

  
Togami spun around to face the bear, standing behind the four all of a sudden. Monokuma cocked his head and scowled.

  
“You really think my execution would fail?” he demanded, his face morphing into an expression of ire. “Pupupu- you all can make hope out of the weakest possibilities!”

  
Hina’s face darkened, her eyes rapidly losing the light that they’d had just a second ago. “Do you mean-”

  
“Pupu- of course I mean that! Naegi Makoto is certainly, without a doubt, completely dead! And you all killed him!” Monokuma exclaimed, the anger on his face replaced with disconcerting giddy joy. The ground trembled beneath Togami’s feet as the realization set in. _So it was true, then… Naegi was dead._ He swallowed once, to get the knot out of his throat before it formed, and felt an unfamiliar anger rise up in his chest.

  
A choked sob escaped from the swimmer’s throat and she drew a hand to her face, stepping back from Monokuma in shock. His devilish chuckles were the only sounds filling the air. “Pupupupupupu~!”

  
“You…” Togami clenched my teeth, swiveling to face Hina. “You gave us false hope.. that weak theory was nothing more than a false hope..!” he said furiously. The unfamiliar lump in his throat was forming again, and he squashed it down as he fixed Hina with one last steely, betrayed glare and left the room.

  
Togami distantly heard Hagakure yelling his name, sounding frantic, and Hina’s voice soon joined in, but nothing could stop the heir from getting to his room without pause. He threw his door shut behind him and sunk against it with a pained sigh, locking the door so that he wouldn’t be disturbed. A shudder racked his body as he stared at the floor, trying his very hardest to repress the sob welling up inside of him, the unfamiliar grief rising in his chest, the emotions he’d SWORN against feeling after he’d lost his mother-

  
But they came anyway, and for the first time in almost 5 years, Togami Byakuya let out a convulsed sob. _What the hell..? Why was he crying..?_ Togami furiously wiped his cheeks of the few tears that had rolled down them in his moment of weakness and stood abruptly. “This place is driving me insane,” he muttered to himself. “Here I am, crying over nothing.” He felt like a disgrace to his family name. Shedding tears over the death of a nuisance plebeian? Not very Togami at all.

  
Togami was shaken out of his stupor by a gentle rap at his door. He scowled and rose to swing the door open. Upon seeing Hina on the other side, he made to slam the door shut, but she stopped him.

  
“Togami,” she said, breathless. “We were- hey, were you crying?”

  
“Ah- obviously not!” Togami sputtered. “Togamis don’t cry.”

  
Hina hummed softly in response. “I mean, it would make sense to cry, even for a Togami…” she said in a low tone. “Your friend- Naegi just... died. It’s alright to be upset.”

  
“Hmph.” Togami averted his eyes, considering Asahina’s words. “He wasn’t my friend, though…he was nothing but a worthless nuisance to me, so I have nothing to be upset about. Moreover, I was not crying in the first place, as I am not a grade schooler.”

  
The edge of Hina’s mouth turned downwards. She looked… angry? “That’s a horrible thing for you to say…” she said quietly, her words heavy. “I know for a fact that he considered you a friend. He really liked you, Togami… to hear you talk like that, it’s- it’s really awful!!” She raised her hand and, before he had time to react, her hand came in clean contact with his cheek in a stinging SMACK. “We’re all meeting in the dining hall. The others would like you to join us,” Hina murmured icily. “I’d appreciate you not talking about my friend like that again.” She walked off quickly, leaving Togami standing alone in his doorway, his fingertips playing at the spot on his cheek where Hina had slapped him. He mulled over her words for a beat before following her, albeit from a distance, to the dining hall. _No use in dwelling over the past,_ he reminded himself.

  
“Ah, Togami! Ya finally decided to join us!” Hagakure exclaimed. He was loud as always, but his eyes looked tired. Try as he could, he’d never be able to truly fill the space that Ishimaru left behind.

  
Togami nodded in response and went to sit at a table far away from the rest, as per usual. He did have to scold Fukawa off a few times, but even she had less manic energy than usual. The air was heavy and everyone was tired and depressed.

  
Well, except Togami, who _really swears_ that he didn’t care.

  
A loud but distant _thud_ from another room made Hina shoot up out of her chair. “What was that?!”

  
“Wanna go check it out?” Hagakure offered. “It could’ve been Kirigiri…”

  
“Ah, so the elusive detective finally shows up, hm…” Togami muttered. “Very well. It may be worth pursuing. Let’s all-“

  
He was cut off by the door to the dining hall swinging open. At first he didn’t see them, and then… there, in the doorway, it was-

  
“MAKOTO!!” Hina yelped. “Is that really- is that really you?” she choked. “If this is some kind of twisted joke-“

  
“It’s me, Hina,” Naegi grinned. “The execution failed. Alter Ego saved me, and Kyoko came to rescue me… I’m back.” Kirigiri stood next to him, smiling with a tint of smugness.

  
Togami was met with a surge of warmth that quite nearly enveloped him, and it was comforting but also entirely wrong and foreign to him, and he hated it, he hated the immense relief he felt at Naegi being alive- _was that it? did he really care about this boy?_ \- and most of all he hated the idea of being so vulnerable to someone else that he’d feel that crippling pain again if any harm came to him. He had cared for two people in his entire life: his mother, who was ripped away from his side, and Pennyworth, who was probably dead as he’d seen in the first motive video, and both of them proved to Togami that loving someone was futile because he couldn’t really protect them anyways, no matter how he felt about them. How could he let Naegi join that list? He condemned the idea of his mind putting Naegi on that same vulnerable pedestal that his mother and Pennyworth had once stood. _He wouldn’t let himself be so weak like that again..!_

  
As the others talked, the repetitive cacophony of lies in Togami’s head started up again, whirling and swirling and mushing together, _I don’t care I don’t care he doesn’t matter to me I DON’T CARE_ , and he tried to embrace it and believe it but it was so damn hard to pretend like those tears had never fallen and that he’d prefer the boy dead and-

  
“Togami?”

  
The heir’s head jerked up and his cheeks heated slightly. It was Naegi that was talking to him, and he looked concerned- actually they all looked concerned.

  
“You okay? You look really upset…” he said quietly. Hina nodded in agreement. From across the room, Fukawa perked up at Togami’s joining the conversation.

  
“It’s… disappointing that there’s one more competitor in this game,” Togami lied, his tone harsh- _anything to disguise what he had actually been thinking._ “My chances of survival were greater with you dead.”

  
Hagakure stepped backwards. “Hey, man, what the hell..?!”

  
Hina’s jaw dropped. “Togami, why are you talking like this ?” she burst. “Just earlier you were crying that he was gone, and then you called him worthless, and now th-”

  
Togami fixed her with a cutting glare. “You don’t know me,” he said bitterly. “You cannot draw assumptions like that with the pitifully limited information you have.”

  
Hagakure, Fukawa, and Kirigiri stared at him, stunned into silence. Hina’s eyes bored into his own, her anger and distaste evident in her glare.

  
Naegi, Togami realized, just looked at the ground. He seemed almost… upset? Upset about what? he wondered. _Everything the heir had said had been true… he has to see that, right?_

  
“You’re a really awful person, Togami,” Hina said quietly. “For once, maybe you should think about other people a bit.” She put an arm around Naegi and whispered something in his ear, to which the boy nodded and half-smiled. Togami scowled.

  
“O-okay, I think everyone should take some time to themselves…” Hagakure said, with a flustered smile on his face. “We’ll regroup at… 2?” He phrased this as a question, meeting Kirigiri’s eyes to confirm his statement. She nodded, once, with a concerned look towards Naegi, followed by a glower in Togami’s direction. He scoffed and wordlessly turned on his heel to swiftly exit the dining hall.

  
Togami stormed off to his room once again, not bothering to lock the door behind him, and sat down silently on the elegant hardwood chair that he’d dragged in here when they arrived. His mind was a muddled mess and he needed a distraction. With a small sigh, he stood up and opened his violin case, which rested on the shelf behind his bed. By muscle memory alone Togami took the instrument by its neck and rested it under his chin, and placed the nearest sheet music (unnecessary, however, since he had the song memorized long ago) on his music stand. He drew the bow and began to play, the notes meshing into one another and combining to form the melancholy melody that Togami loved: rising, falling, rising, falling…

His chest, too, rose and fell, and his eyes closed as he drew the bow gently against the strings, relishing in the crescendo of the notes, higher and higher, as he reached the pinnacle of the piece- and then he slowed, lengthening the soft, low notes before he built them back up again, letting himself get lost in the dynamics of the familiar tune, the notes that reminded him of his mother- the familiar song from his childhood, the first violin piece that he’d fallen in love with. Although he played countless instruments - as was typical of any Togami heir - he loved the violin most of all, and it never failed to improve his mood. A single tear, unbidden but yet unnoticed, slipped down his cheek as the melody waxed and waned, building up until its final emotional crescendo, and then the softening and lengthening of the notes in a final diminuendo… and then silence.

  
And then… a sniff?

  
Togami whirled around in shock, dropping his bow, to see none other than Makoto Naegi standing at his door, his eyes wide and tears running freely down his face.

  
“W-what are you doing in here?!” Togami snapped. Naegi blushed abashedly, his hand on the handle of Togami’s door.

  
“I’m sorry…” he chuckled softly. “I just wanted to ask you something… so I knocked, but you didn’t answer and your door was unlocked so I just came in… and I really didn’t want you to stop playing because that was _beautiful_ , Togami!” He raised a hand to his face to wipe the continuous stream of tears from sliding down his face. He was crying, and yet his eyes still glittered. “That song… and you’re incredible, why didn’t you tell anyone you co-”

  
“Get out,” Togami hissed. “Get out of my room. Do refrain from invading my privacy like this again.”

  
“I’m really sorry,” Naegi said quietly. The enthused light faded out of his eyes at Togami’s words. “I just wanted to ask y- never mind, I’m sorry, I’ll leave now.” He averted his eyes to the floor and left silently, leaving Togami all alone in his room once more.

  
“...Wait, Naegi-” Togami said after a beat. But the Ultimate Lucky student was already gone.

  
 _Damn it…_ the heir thought. He was upset that Naegi had come into his room, sure, but the boy was so kind, and so clearly moved by his song… and what had he wanted to ask him, anyway?

  
Curiosity ate away at him for what felt like ages until Togami, with a decided huff, stood up and threw his door open, walking out into the hallway. Hesitating for only a second, he rapped on Naegi’s door. The door swung open almost immediately, to reveal Naegi, his eyes puffy and damp, and his hair unkempt. He shot a forced smile at Togami, who stood dumbfounded in the doorway.

  
“Hey, Togami. What’s up?”

  
“I just wanted to ask you what you were going to ask me earlier, when you came to my room. That is all.” Naegi’s eyes narrowed and he looked at the ground, a sad smile pasted on his face.

  
“Ah. Um. It’s nothing, really,” he assured, waving his hands around. Togami frowned, second-guessing himself.

  
“Just tell me,” he replied. Naegi looked at him for a beat, then stepped back, allowing Togami to step inside. “...Thank you.”

  
Naegi sat down on his bed, his face unreadable, Togami a ways away. The smaller boy grimaced and bit his lip. “I’m sorry, it’s just-”

  
“Stop apologizing,” Togami ordered. Naegi bowed his head in response.

  
“Yeah. I was just going to ask… why you hate me so much. I’m sorry if I’ve done anything wrong… I just don’t understand… that’s all.” Naegi stared at the floor, refusing to meet the other boy’s eyes.

  
Togami felt a pang of guilt at how _devastated_ Naegi looked. _I don’t understand why he’s so upset… and why does he think I hate him, anyway?_

  
“What do you mean?” Naegi asked, his head snapping up. Togami grimaced as he realized that he had said that last bit audibly. “You always act like you hate me…you called me worthless, when you were talking to Hina… can’t say that I disagree with that one, but-”

  
“What is that supposed to mean?” Byakuya interrupted. Naegi shook his head dismissively.

  
“You said you wished I was _dead_ , Togami, it’s pretty clear that you hate me.” He laughed sadly. “It’s okay, though. I just want to know what I should be doing differently…”

  
“Why do you care?” Togami muttered. “Why do you care so much if I hate you?”

  
“I don’t know… it’s pretty stupid, isn’t it. I guess that I just… want to be your friend?” He looked away, folding his hands on his lap nervously.

  
Togami was silent.

  
“You can go now, if you want…” Naegi whispered, almost completely inaudible. “You got what you came for.”

  
Togami nodded once, slowly, and walked to the door. Naegi stayed seated, not looking up as the other boy walked away. On a whim, though, he stopped at the door, his hand on the knob, and turned his head to face Naegi once more.

  
“...I’ve only ever cared about myself, aside from two others,” Togami deadpanned. “Both ended badly. I am… alarmed at the addition of you to that list. I’m glad that you’re alive. Good day, Naegi,” Togami finished awkwardly. He hastily exited into the hallway, shutting Naegi’s door behind him, and retreating into his own room once again.

  
“...Bye, Togami,” Naegi whispered with a wave, a genuine smile weaving its way onto his face for the first time since he’d returned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit 8/15: I don't like these first 2-3 chapters wdjshf but the fic gets better I PROMISE x


	2. serenade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> makoto is sick.
> 
> song that togami plays: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4zMi8RYIL8

It had been two days since Togami had admitted that he didn’t exactly hate Naegi, and now the shorter boy was nowhere to be found.

He hadn’t shown up to breakfast, which was odd in itself, since he was one of the residents that always came to the communal breakfast without fail. But he was absent this morning, and it had everyone worried.

After a heavy silence, it was Hina who spoke first.

“Alright, we should probably look for Naegi, hm?” she suggested. Her proposition was met with head nods all around, which prompted her to continue. “Kirigiri and Hiro, you two take the third and fourth floors. I’ll check the second. Fukawa, you look around the first floor, and Togami- check the dorms.”

Togami almost retaliated at being ordered around by this commoner, but he remained silent, as he recalled that this was for Naegi- who he slightly cared for, he begrudgingly admitted. He merely nodded his agreement and took off at a swift walking pace before the others had time to dissent.

He rapped on Naegi’s door three times, and there was no answer. Although, when he tried the knob, the door was unlocked - that idiot, Togami thought, it’s a miracle he hasn’t been murdered yet.

Gritting his teeth at the invasion, Togami pushed the door open slowly and entered Naegi’s room. Sure enough, the boy was there- he was lying in bed, still asleep. His alarm was still blaring noisily, but he showed no signs of stirring. Togami sighed and snoozed the alarm to cease the incessant beeping. Still no response from Naegi… how peculiar.

“Naegi.”

The boy stirred, unconsciously turning his head towards the sound of Togami’s voice. Good. He’s alive.

“Naegi, wake up.”

When Naegi barely reacted, Togami reached down and lightly shook his shoulders. “Naegi.”

“Mm- hm? ‘gami?” Naegi muttered. “That you?” He flipped over onto his side to face Togami.

“Yes. You’re late for breakfast,” Togami informed him. Naegi opened his eyes blearily.

“Am I dead?” Naegi whispered scratchily. Togami winced; he was clearly sick. “‘Cause I feel dead.” He flipped over onto his other side again. The heir sighed and walked over to the other side of the bed.

“Naegi, are you sick?” he asked cautiously. “You look quite awful.”

“T-thanks, ‘kuya,” Naegi responded. “Yeah, I feel pretty horrible. I think I’m burning up..”

‘Kuya? ‘Kuya?! Had Naegi been trying to say his first name..?

“Don’t call me that,” Togami snapped reflexively. Naegi, in his sickened state, still managed to cringe at his tone. “We’re barely friends.”

At this, Naegi smiled faintly. “B-but we are… friends?” he asked softly. “Thought you hated me…”

With those words, he flopped onto his back, closing his eyes again and breathing softly. After a few more attempts to bring him to consciousness, Togami concluded that Naegi wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon. Tentatively, he reached out to touch the boy’s forehead.

“A-ah…” Togami grimaced. He’s burning up… I think it’s worse than a normal fever, too.. 

“Hey, Togami, did you fi- oh! Makoto!” Hina let herself into the room, walking over to Makoto’s side. She studied him worriedly, and then looked up at Togami. “What’s going on?”

“He’s feverish,” the heir replied. “It seems severe.”

Hina frowned. “I’ll go check if there’s any medicine that might help in the nurse’s office or the drug cabinets. Can you-“ she bit her lip, contemplating. “Can you stay with him for now? He’s pretty vulnerable right now, obviously, and I’d feel more comfortable if someone was here… although I’m not exactly thrilled that it’s you.”

Togami nodded quickly. “Yes. Just come back in a timely manner.” Hina hummed in acknowledgment and scurried off at a run.

With the swimmer gone, Togami’s gaze once again fell on Naegi. “You idiot,” he whispered, in response to the boy’s earlier inquiry. “We have already established that I don’t hate you.”

When he was met with no reaction, Togami decided to continue speaking. “Far from it, actually. You are intolerable in your own way, but far less so than any of the other annoyances in this building. I’d be-“ He sighed, stopping himself from taking this too far or saying anything he’d regret. After a beat, he stood, silently pulling a chair over to Naegi’s bedside. Togami assumes that he’d have to be there for a while to watch over him, and to his surprise, that didn’t bother him as much as it would with anyone else. He barely noticed it, but Naegi’s mouth curled up into a semblance of a smile as he slept.

After only a short time of waiting, Hina threw the door open once again. “I brought these,” she said breathlessly. “Do you know if any of them are what we’re looking for?” She held out a pile of bottles, jars, and a thermometer. Togami scoffed.

“Obviously.” He accepted the medicine and waved her off. “You can go. Allow me to tend to Naegi. You four can continue the investigation.”

Hina frowned but nodded, and exited the room.

“Naegi, I need you to wake up,” Togami murmured. “I have medicine for you that it’s imperative that you take.” Naegi stirred and rolled to face him.

“Togami? You’re… still here?” he said, still on the verge of consciousness. Togami merely nodded in response, sorting the pills and liquids into groups of effectiveness. Naegi smiled. “I knew.. you weren’t a bad person. Not like Hina says.”

Togami scowled. “That’s where you’re wrong,” he corrected. “I’m a corporate bastard, nothing more. Now sit up and drink this.”

“I-” Naegi grunted, lifted his neck, and flopped back down. “‘m I up…?”

“Not even close. Yet another failure of yours…” he remarked, regarding the sad mess of a boy lying on the bed. Naegi shot him a wounded glare and he sighed, having fallen to the second nature of insulting Naegi once again. Togami merely pressed the thermometer to his head, running it across his forehead, and-

“Shit!!” he exclaimed, swearing despite his general distaste towards such words. “104?!”

“Hah… that’s a big number,” Naegi said feebly. “Is ‘at good?”

“Not in the slightest!” Despite his general calmness, Togami felt himself panicking. 103 was cause to worry, and 104.. if he remembered correctly, Naegi could die from this, or sustain serious brain damage, or have a seizure, or-

“Stop that,” Naegi muttered, absentmindedly placing a hand on top of Togami’s. “You look panicky.” He fixed him with a gaze that lacked its usual clarity, but still maintained its gentle kindness. “I’m okay. Not gonna die on you again, ‘Kuya…”

There it was again. In his feverish trance, Naegi kept trying to call Togami by his first name, which was completely inappropriate given the nature of their barely-friendship, and dear god he still had his hand on top of Togami’s and why was that there? Togami jerked his hand out from under Naegi’s and rested it by his side, off of the bed now. Naegi flinched.

“‘M sorry,” he whispered. “Keep… screwing up with you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Togami questioned- mostly to keep Naegi awake as he measured out the (probably) correct doses of a few medicines. Naegi sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

“I just want you to like me..” Naegi said softly. “But I keep screwin’ up- mmm, medicine time.” He seemed plenty distracted by the offer of medicine, and he stared at it in Togami’s hand.

“Sit up first.”

“Can’t.”

Togami sighed and braced himself. “Is it okay if I help you up?” he asked, cheeks slightly flushing. Naegi nodded silently, so Togami reached his arm behind Naegi’s head to curl around his shoulder, and pulled him up into a seated position. “Lean against the headboard and drink your medicine,” he commanded, dropping his arm off of the boy’s shoulders after a beat. Naegi nodded weakly and scooted backwards until his back was pressed against the shelf. Togami nodded once, and handed him the little cup of purple liquid. Naegi downed it immediately, and then retched.

“Grape,” he muttered. “Yucky.”

Togami merely rolled his eyes as he relaxed back into his seat, Naegi falling back into a deep slumber. He wasn’t entirely sure how long he spent by the boy’s side, but after a period of sitting in silence and boredom, he had an idea.

“I’ll return shortly,” he whispered to the unconscious Naegi. He slipped out of the boy’s room and entered his, zipping shut and grabbing his violin case and sheet music. In only a second, he was back in Naegi’s room, the door shut for soundproofing.

“Serenade for Strings, Edgar Elgar,” he said softly. Togami didn’t know why he had chosen that particular song, but it felt appropriate, although more upbeat than he usually enjoys playing by a far cry. He moved his bow to the strings and began playing, his hand jumping on the staccato notes, and drawing slowly across the instrument on the more intense ones. Like always, he was able to get lost in the piece- by clamping his eyelids shut and only focusing on the melody erupting from his violin, he could completely lose sight of the real world at his fingertips. The music painted a vivid picture of rolling emerald hills and azure skies and it brought Togami back to his childhood as music was always able to do for him- he felt the warm embrace of the sun on his skin, the prickly grass reaching up from beneath his back, his mother’s soft hand in his, her lying alongside him in the grass…

When Togami opened his eyes thirteen minutes later, he was greeted with Naegi sitting up again, watching him with an exhausted smile but glittering, awed eyes. The sickly boy clapped feebly a few times before letting his arms fall to his sides, that smile remaining on his face. With a wave of his fingers he beckoned Togami to him, and the heir silently complied, for he was in a better mood after allowing himself to partake in some self-indulgent performing.

“You really are incredible…” Naegi said softly. “Just like last time, that was beautiful.” His voice was clearer than before- the medicine was already doing its work.

“Thank you,” Togami said shortly. “But you should be asleep.”

“I wanted to listen.” Naegi fixed him with a decided gaze. “It’s not often that I get to hear you play.”

Togami hummed in reply as he packed the violin, bow, and resin back into their case. What was it that he was feeling right now..? It almost felt like… some kind of pride, or happiness, derived from Naegi’s pleasure in hearing his song. He audibly scoffed. Whatever it was, it was simply preposterous to conceive that he might feel some semblance of pride based on this commoner’s perception of his work.

“Don’t get used to it.”

“I won’t, don’t worry. Naegi’s face shifted into a small smile. “Although I won’t protest if you want to play some more for me sometime.”

Togami nodded. “We’ll see.” He still felt uneasy about opening up this side of him to Naegi. Of course, everyone knew he played music- but knowing that and hearing it firsthand were different matters entirely, since the pieces he chose to play were a reflection on the parts of himself that he refused to show anyone, let alone this small, weak boy that was still staring up at him with stars in his eyes. “Well, don’t look so shocked,” Togami muttered. “It’s only natural that I play. And as a Togami, it should be assumed that I’m well above average in this field as well.”

To his surprise, Naegi chuckled. “You don’t need to put up that facade in front of me,” he said, meeting Togami’s eyes. “As much as you claim you are, you aren’t defined by your last name. Your accomplishments are still super impressive!”

“That’s absurd,” Togami replied, adjusting his glasses. “Upbringing makes a person who they are, am I wrong? My innumerable talents are a result of my superior genes and education. I am nothing out of the ordinary for Togami standards.”

“I disagree.” Naegi frowned, letting himself relax into the bed again. “I don’t really care about your Togami standards… I think you’re pretty exceptional just on your own.” His words were slightly slurred, no doubt as a result of the medicine, but his meaning was clear, and Togami’s cheeks heated in annoyance. Who did this boy, completely unexceptional and average in every way, think he was? He had the audacity to disagree with him regarding a topic that only Togami would fully understand… 

Togami had never had someone say something like that to his face. “I don’t care about Togami standards…” 

Did Naegi even understand the magnitude that those words carried?

But when Togami glanced over towards the feverish boy, he was, once again, fast asleep.

Despite himself, a small smile teased at Togami’s lips.

•

hi everyone! thanks for all the love this story has gotten already. i'm not sure if i'll continue writing but if I get enough comments/kudos i'll definitely consider it. thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!  
<3 shu


	3. worthlessness

_“Get ready to greet another beauuuutiful day!”_

Togami grunted in annoyance at being woken too early by Monokuma’s announcement. He stretched awkwardly, realizing that all of his joints were really, _really_ stiff.

_What happened..?_

It took him a moment to recall his situation. Makoto Naegi, the tiny SHSL Lucky Student, was passed out, still recovering from his fever. It had broken during the night and he had thrown off the mounds of blankets that had previously been piled on top of him. And Togami, much to his chagrin, had been forced to stay there _all night_ watching over him.

All because Aoi didn’t think it proper for a girl to stay overnight in Naegi’s room.

Togami shakily stood up from the chair he had fallen asleep in and walked over to Naegi’s bedside. He didn’t show any sign of stirring at Monokuma’s announcement, which was concerning, but made sense - it was improbable that he got much deep sleep last night. After turning on the lights - and witnessing Naegi flinch back into the dark of the blankets - he returned to the boy’s bedside.

“Naegi.” Togami gently shook his shoulder. “Get up.”

“T-togami?” Naegi slurred, still barely awake. “What’re you doin’ in my room…”

“Making sure you don’t die from this fever,” Togami scowled. “How are you feeling? It seems the fever broke in the night.”

“Better,” he responded weakly. “Really hungry.”

“You missed dinner last night.”

“Yeah, that explains it, then,” Naegi said, forcing a smile to his face. “We goin’ go to breakfast?”

Togami studied the lucky boy’s face carefully. His cheeks were still flushed from the fever, and his watery smile suggested that he wasn’t feeling as healthy as he claimed. Naegi’s hands shook slightly as he held a glass of water to his lips. He looked pitiful and weak, and the heir was admittedly unsettled by seeing him like this.

“Some food might be good for you,” he answered, his voice slow and assured. “However, if you do not think that you are well enough to come, then I can ask Asahina to bring you back a plate.”

“She probably won’t,” Naegi said thoughtfully. “I know she cares about me a bunch, we’re really close and all, but she seemed to not want to be alone in my room with me earlier, right?”

Togami’s eyes widened. _That was the most coherent thing he’s said in hours._

“Plus, I don’t want to get her sick,” he continued. The heir blanched.

“And apparently you do not care if you get me sick, hm?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms. “And I thought this time I wasted here actually meant something to you. Very well, Naegi. _I_ will return promptly with a plate of food for you. Asahina would insist that I ensure that you will be okay while I am gone, so are you alright here?”

“Togami, I didn’t mean it like tha-”

“A yes or a no.”

“...Yes. I’ll be fine.” His eyes flitted down to the ground, looking remorseful and a bit sad. “I really didn’t-”

“It’s fine, Naegi,” Togami said shortly, bitterly, as he exited the boy’s room. A frown transformed his face, more angry than the resting look of disgust that he wore as per usual. It wasn’t that he was offended by the lucky student’s statement, he was just… taken aback? _Yes, that was it._ He had gotten accustomed to Naegi regarding him in a certain manner, the way he treated _everyone_ , and when that manner shifted, of course he was surprised. It was possible that his surprisingly kind words from before were just because of the fever, but…

Hina’s words from earlier echoed in his head. _I know for a fact that he considered you a friend. He really liked you, Togami…_

For a second, Togami considered the notion that Naegi had just misspoke, stumbled on his words, but it was quickly dismissed. He didn’t believe in misspeaking: you either speak with a filter or speak without one, and he wasn’t the type to just look the other way when someone spoke without theirs. Back there, Naegi had simply allowed himself to speak his mind. That was all there was to it.

He regretted sharing such a vulnerable side of himself with this _nobody_.

“Togami?”

Hagakure’s voice snapped him out of his trance. “Do you need something, Hagakure?” he demanded irritably. The clairvoyant jumped back, waving his hands in front of him.

“Not at all, Byakuya!” he exclaimed. The heir growled.

“ _Togami_.”

“Hey, hey, man, everyone’s friends here, right? You should totally call me Hiro, dude! Everyone else does!”

“I will not be calling you that, _Hagakure_ , as we are not friends. Nor am I friends with anyone in this idiotic game. Now, move aside. I have wasted too much time already.” Togami brushed past him, grumbling under his breath to himself. He didn’t glance back to see Hagakure’s bewildered expression, or to see the short brunet boy quietly close his bedroom door as he snuck out in the direction of the dining hall.

-

“Good morning, Togami!” Asahina waved cheerily as the heir entered the dining hall, seemingly no longer perturbed by their argument the day before. Togami nodded to her in a swift motion and made his way to his table in the back of the room, not pausing to greet Hagakure or Fukawa, who were also in the hall.

“It’s m-maaaaster,” Fukawa drooled, her eyes watching him closely and an embarrassingly red blush coloring her cheeks.

“Get ahold of yourself, scum,” Togami said tiredly, glancing at the writer with a look of pure disgust. His face morphed into even greater revulsion when she moaned happily, squealing about how he had acknowledged her presence.

“Where’s Makoto?” Asahina asked, cocking her head. “Still asleep?”

“He didn’t seem fit to get up, so he sent me to fetch him some breakfast.”

“S-so he just ordered you around like that, h-huh?” Toko pressed one hand to her chest, pointing accusingly at Togami with the other. “Who g-gave him the right t-to… order Master around like th-that..!”

“He isn’t _ordering me around_ , you imbecile-!” Togami sputtered, disgusted with the thought of a commoner like Naegi having the authority to order _him_ around. “I am bringing this plate entirely of my own volition, and it is foolish of you to accuse me of stooping to such a level.” Toko shrieked, stumbling backwards in a pathetically exaggerated manner.

“M-Master! Why would you choose to help s-such a p-pitiful little boy?” she groused. “I-if he’s manipulating my master, he’s a p-piece of trash! Through and through!”

Togami gritted his teeth in annoyance. _No, that’s wrong_ , he wanted to say, but something kept his jaw clenched shut. _A piece of trash wouldn’t brush off ‘Togami standards’ like it were some inconsequential thing. A pitiful little boy wouldn’t listen to his music, absolutely transfixed, and he wouldn’t assure Togami that he isn’t the capitalist bastard that he feels he’s become. A_ piece of trash _wouldn’t call him exceptional for something other than his family name or meaningless exploits-!_

_Because that was truly something he had not heard from another human being in many, many years._

“What’s that face for, By- Togami?” Hagakure asked, cocking his head.

“This conversation is over,” the heir said finally, exiting the room into the hallway and heaving a quiet sigh to himself. In the halls, though, he was met with the sight of someone he didn’t expect to see, leaning up against the wall and smiling through a pained grimace.

“Naegi? What are you doing out of bed?!” he demanded. “I said I’d bring you food, did I not? Are you deaf as well as brainless?”

“I-I’m sorry, I just felt bad for lying around while everyone else was working to get us out of here, and I thought that I’d get up and help out again!” Naegi explained cheerily, his voice scratchy but enthusiastic. “I’m totally better now, and ready to start pitching in again.” To prove his point, the lucky student stepped away from the comfort of the wall, wobbling a bit. “See?”

“Clearly, I don’t,” Togami responded drily. “You’re sick, Naegi. Go back to your room.”

“Listen, Togami, I respect you a lot, and I consider you a good friend, but that still doesn’t mean you can order me around.”

“I can order around anyone I want, I’m Byakuya Togami.”

“So?” Naegi challenged, meeting Togami’s eyes defensively. “Why does that matter in here- in this school? I think you should drop the facade of not caring about anything because you’re rich and influential, and you should just focus on getting out of here alive like the rest of us instead. In here, it really doesn’t matter who your family is, okay?”

Togami scoffed, crossing his arms disdainfully. “Says the commoner who has a family of nobodies.”

“They may be nobody to you, but not to me!” Naegi argued. “Being famous isn’t a person’s only source of worth, you know.”

“Sounds like something a worthless human being would say.”

Naegi’s eyes reflected betrayal and hurt as he stared up at Togami, completely silent for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, after a pause heavy with emotion, he spoke.  
“You really feel like that.” His intonation suggested his words as a statement, not as a question, and Togami’s mind swam with plausible answers to his question. _No. Of course not. You may be a commoner but you’re the least worthless one out of all of our classmates. You’re not afraid to speak your mind and infuriatingly positive and naive but surprisingly intelligent, and-_

“I see.” Naegi looked at the floor, not betraying any emotion any more. His voice was only a few notches above a whisper, almost like tears were threatening to fall from his eyes at any second. “I’m sorry for wasting your time. I should- I should go.”

To the heir’s immense displeasure, his ego prevented him from calling after Naegi, and instead, he silently returned to his room.

-

“I don’t understand him, Aoi,” Naegi lamented. “He plays me a violin song, packed with emotion, and admits that we’re friends, and tells me he doesn’t hate me… and then the next day, he calls me worthless and brainless… I just don’t know what to think, I don’t want him to think I’m pathetic, I just want to be his friend-!”

“There, there,” Asahina sighed, patting her friend’s back. “He’s kinda a terrible person, Makoto, dontcha think? Remember how he was after Sakura… after she…” her voice trailed off, pained. Naegi nodded.

“I want to think he’s changed since then, though.”

“Why do you keep giving him more chances?” she inquired curiously. “You’re a really sweet guy, and a great friend, and all of us love you already so why not just cut your losses?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know at this point.” Naegi exhaled softly, recounting the day’s activities. After the debacle between him and Togami at breakfast - _worthless human being, worthless human being, WORTHLESS HUMAN BEING_ \- Naegi had staggered into the dining hall and wolfed down some food for the first time in nearly a day. Investigations of the school had started almost immediately after, and everyone was exhausted from running up and down the stairs so many times by dinner. No one had seen Togami since breakfast, so they all just assumed he was sulking in his bedroom. Naegi made a mental note to go check in on him later and apologize for whatever he had done to offend the heir.

“Why not just give up, then?” Asahina suggested softly, almost inaudible. “It’s clear that he’s hurting you, Makoto, you seemed really beat up and sad when you walked into breakfast this morning. I support you, and if going after him is your choice, I’ll support it, but wouldn’t you just be happier with me and Kyoko and Hiro?”

“Maybe,” Naegi admitted. “I dunno. It just feels like… there’s more to him than the front he puts up, yknow?” When Asahina didn’t react, he pushed on. “I think… I want to meet the Togami that he stifles around other people. I think I could be friends with that guy, if he let me.”

Asahina sat silently for a second, and then bumped Naegi with her shoulder. “Then you should probably go check in on him, hm?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M NOT DEAD I SWEAR-  
> not super motivated for this fic so if you want to see it continued, a comment helps a lot to keep motivation up, so tell me what you think!!!<3  
> thanks for reading!


	4. memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> as always, here is the link to the song that togami plays in this chapter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMbvcp480Y4  
> it's a beautiful song and I always try to find songs that suit the chapter/emotions of the characters so I'd totally recommend listening as you read! <3

Togami finally broke the heavy silence in his room with the _clank-clank_ of the music stand as he set it up in the center of the floor. Although he was unfocused and reserved, his hands still flipped through the stack of sheet music. After a beat of distantly staring into space, he randomly selected one of the sheets in the pile: _Adagio in G Minor_ , a song whose composer was widely disputed in the world of music. Nodding slowly, he set up the music on the stand. _It would fit his current mood nicely._

The song started out slow and profound, the notes meshing together in a gentle legato, a piece that was originally written for strings and organ but sounded just as beautiful with a single violin. As minutes and bars flew by, the music got deeper, more fervent, more intensely heart-rending, and it had its usual effect on Togami. As the notes layered to form melancholy melodies, he felt his heart slow, the white noise in his head drowned out by the sublime song of the violin. By the climax of the piece, he had almost completely forgotten about the fight with Naegi, and focused only on drawing out the utmost emotion from the song- as he played, he once again felt a tear or several slip down his cheeks, but he didn’t care, because he was alone and he was allowed to let himself go when he was alone, when no one was nearby to judge him or watch him make a fool of himself.

Unbidden, the tears started falling more rapidly, as the song forced him to reminisce on happier times - times where he had someone who _understood_ , someone who loved him and accepted him and wasn’t there anymore. It dredged up memories that he had forced himself to forget, because weakness for the past had no place in the life of a Togami heir, but once one flooded back they all did, and he quickly found himself surrounded by recollections of the past.

 _She always cried listening to his music, too._ Although Togami knew that he was not nearly as good a musician when he was young enough for her to be there to listen, he still possessed the superior Togami education and mentorship that allowed him to be almost prodigious in most fields by that age, including that of music. _When he’d play a new song, all smiles and childish excitement, she’d always cry while she applauded. She’d look at him with awe and pull him into a hug, spinning him around and praising him for his talents._

Those were some of the happiest memories, and sometimes it acutely hurt him to have compelled himself to forget. But, of course, the visions of the past were equal parts joy and pain.

_“It’ll just be for a little while, Byakuya,” she had said, patting his head with a bright, saddened smile. “I’ll be back before you know it, okay? Your dad just has something he needs to show me overseas. It’ll be an adventure!”_

_Togami had clutched her hand, afraid to let it go. Eventually, though, Pennyworth was able to pry him from her side, reassuring him with the promise of coffee ice cream and his cat. In retrospect, he shouldn’t have gone inside. If he hadn’t let go, maybe-_

No. It was no use, dwelling on the past. _There was a reason these memories were suppressed, and it was to prevent him from growing weak._ So what if Naegi reminded him of the most important person in his young life? So what if he had realized that he was drawn to the lucky student because his energy comforted him, like his mother’s had? _So what, SO WHAT?_

He stopped playing immediately, loosening his grip on the bow and letting his arms drop to his sides. _Clearly,_ the music had made an effect on him that was the _opposite_ of what he was going for, which was quite perturbing. Annoyed, he returned the violin to its case, and went into the bathroom to wash his face from his moment of weakness. To his dismay, his eyes were red and puffy- it made it obvious, then, that he had been crying. Truly unfortunate… but luckily, it wasn’t like he’d have to see anyone. He planned on staying in his room for the rest of the night, and then participating in the investigation - _alone_ \- the following day.

But, of course, things never went to plan for Togami, and there was a knock at his door.

“Who is it?” he called irritably- but, of course, there was no answer, seeing as the dorms were soundproof. After a beat, he swung the door open. “What do you n- oh.”

“Hey, Togami.” Naegi smiled tiredly. “Can we talk?”

“What do you need, Naegi?”

“I just wanted to talk, I was worried about you since you were in here all day, and-”

“You have no need to worry about me,” Togami said shortly, his voice cold and emotionless. He had recovered well from the tears he shed due to the music. “Is that all you need? You can go.”

“Is that really all you want to say?” Naegi’s eyes met his, an unusual resolve in them that Togami usually only saw at class trials. “If that’s so, I’ll leave right now. But… you don’t want that, do you?”

Togami stared at the boy in shock. It was uncharacteristic of Naegi to be this assertive and determined… it made him gain a bit of respect for the lucky student. Without speaking, he stepped into his room, opening up the doorway as an invitation for the boy to enter. Naegi shot him a watery smile. “Thanks, Togami!”

“I cannot fathom why you would want to speak with me after what happened this morning.”

“Well, I’ve forgiven you,” Naegi said simply. “Everyone says things they don’t mean sometimes, it’s only human. And,” he paused, smiling, “just because your name is Togami doesn’t mean you aren’t human.”

“Why do you assume I didn’t mean it?” Togami questioned, his arms crossed.

“Because I don’t really want to believe that you did… maybe that’s just foolish of me, but my gut instinct is usually right. I am the Ultimate Lucky Student, after all.” He walked into Togami’s room and sat down on the antique wooden chair that was pulled out from a matching table. “The fact that you let me in pretty much confirms that I’m right.”

“So. What do you want?”

“Just to talk. To _you_ , not your ego.”

“And what is _that_ supposed to mean?” Byakuya demanded. He scowled at the other boy before speaking again, slowly and confidently. “Maybe this was a mistake. You can go, Naegi.”

“W-wait! Togami,” the lucky student interjected, “were you crying before I got here?” Togami faltered and looked away, hastily denying the claim. Naegi, however, shook his head and pressed on. “It’s okay to cry, you know! I do it all the time!”

“That is not something to be proud of.”

“Nah, but it isn’t something to be ashamed of, either! Everyone cries and everyone feels things, Togami, and it doesn’t make you ‘weak’ to do either one.” Naegi squeezed his eyes shut, and then opened them, blinking them rapidly and smiling up at Togami. To the heir’s massive discomfort, tears were now streaming down the other boy’s cheeks.

“W-why are you crying-?” Togami stammered, suddenly at a loss for words.

“I cry so much that I can do it on command now, see!” Naegi announced, a big smile still on his face. “My point is, you don’t need to beat yourself up for displaying emotions. It’s not healthy.”

“I think you should go,” Togami said flatly.

“You can’t just shut me out every time I call you out for something, Togami. I’m trying to help.”

The heir flashed back to Fukawa’s words. _He’s just ordering Master around…_ “You can’t order me around,” he snapped. “Go back to your room, Naegi.”

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” Naegi burst. Togami was taken aback by the sudden anger in the boy’s eyes. “Did you mean it, or not, Togami? Because it sure is starting to seem like you did.”

“Are you slow? I mean everything I say. Lies are for imbeciles and people lacking the brain cells to develop a more clever answer.”

Naegi stumbled backwards, as if an invisible force had shoved him. Hurt shone in his eyes, and the fake, forced tears began falling faster and faster as they became unstoppable, no longer intentional, no longer emotionless. He nodded once, slowly, not opening his mouth to say anything in the fear that a choked sob would escape his lips. “ _I see,”_ he managed to mouth, but no sound came out. “ _I’m sorry.”_ Naegi spun around to face the door, and flung it open, stepping out into the hallway with shaky steps.

“ _Naegi._ Wait,” Togami said suddenly, inadvertently. Mentally, he scolded himself for speaking without thinking. Now, he supposed he had to follow through.

“Yes?”

“I suppose that I may have misspoken,” he admitted. “That is all. You may go.”

“Wait- you mean it?” Naegi inquired doubtfully. “Sure doesn’t seem that way…”

“Clearly. Do you have the attention span of a fruit fly? Did I not tell you my exact feelings regarding you last night?”

“It’s just…” The lucky student shifted uncomfortably. “You say things like that, and then the next minute you blow me off, or call me worthless, or pathetic, and it sends really mixed signals, okay?” Naegi heard an echo of the swimmer’s voice in his head, cheering him on: _You tell him, Naegi! Don’t let him treat you like crap!_ “I- I don’t want to be friends with you if you’re going to keep treating me like this!”

He could only imagine Asahina’s gleeful reaction to that one later. However, in the moment, he had to deal with the bemused, irritated giant in front of him.

Togami stared at Naegi in shocked awe. _No one talks to him that way-!_ The disrespect was absolutely unacceptable, and he should just tell Naegi off immediately, banish him from his sight for good, not give him another thought-

_“Is that really what you want, Byakuya?”_

Togami froze.

_“It’s time you start doing things for yourself and not what you think you should want because of who your father is.”_

“M-mother?”

Distantly, the heir noticed Naegi staring at him in utter confusion, taking a step towards him as if to find out who he was talking to.

_“Byakuya, darling, do you remember my last words to you before I left?”_

_-_

_Togami had clutched to his mother’s hand, afraid to let it go. Pennyworth was coming to take him away, but before he was wrenched back into the house with the promise of caffeinated sweets, she whispered one last thing to him._

_“Byakuya, I’ll be back in no time, but while I’m gone, I want you to continue living your life, okay? And remember that I love you, and always will.”_

_And then she was gone, driving away in the black car, and he was crying in his room over a tub of coffee ice cream._

_-_

“I remember…” he murmured, raising a hand to his shoulder. If he tried, he could still feel her hand there, comforting him with her presence. “I remember.”

_“Then live, ‘Kuya. Live your life, and let other people into it as well. If you let down your guard a bit, I think you’ll find people who will love you, Byakuya…”_

“I’ll try…”

As unbidden tears of grief and reminiscing fell silently down his cheeks, Togami felt himself wrapped in the tight, comforting embrace of someone who wasn’t his mother for the first time in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short chapter, but an important one. byakuya is starting to realize some things, and makoto is learning to stand up for himself.  
> //  
> as always, if you liked this chapter, kudos and comments are much appreciated! <3 thanks for reading!


	5. friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry this chapter jumps around so much, i hope it's decent at least?? D:

“N-naegi?” Togami choked, flustered and reddening in a way that he was wholly unaccustomed to. “What’re yo-”

“Fishing.” Naegi looked up at Togami, his arms still clasped tightly around the much taller boy’s waist. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Clever, clever,” the heir muttered, the hint of a laugh in his voice. Naegi must have picked up on it, too, because a wide smile transformed his face, making his eyes sparkle.

“I’m hugging you, of course,” he finally responded. “You looked really sad all of a sudden and… I dunno, my instincts kicked in.”

“Well, you can stop now,” Togami said, abruptly detaching Naegi’s arms and taking a wide step backwards. Ashamed of his emotional breakdown, he took off his glasses and wiped the moisture off of them with the hem of his shirt. “I am fine. You saw nothing today.” Unlike before, when his whispers were packed with sorrow and grief and raw emotion, his voice was flat and reserved.

Whatever moment Naegi had just witnessed, Togami made it clear that it was very, _very,_ over.

“Who were you talking to?” Naegi asked softly. “It sounded like you were addressing someone…”

“No one.” the heir answered quickly. “Not no one. But it’s none of your business,” he corrected.

“I’m not gonna force you to talk to me, but…” He bit his lip, thinking about what to say next. “I think it would be good for you to talk about whatever that just was.”

“And what makes you think that I would choose to talk to you?”

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Togami looked away, gritting his teeth. His mother’s words still echoed in his head: _Is that what you really want, Byakuya? … live…_ He nodded once. “I suppose.”

“Then you can definitely talk to me!” Naegi exclaimed enthusiastically. “You just have to let me be here for you, okay?” The boy took one of Togami’s hands in both of his own, clutching it tightly. To his surprise, the heir flinched but didn’t pull away immediately. _What just changed..?_

“What are you doing with my hand?” he asked uncertainty, evidently uncomfortable. Naegi dropped his hand immediately, turning beet red.

“Ahh- I’m sorry, I didn’t even notice, I got excited-!” he stammered, taking a step backwards. “I’m really sorry for making you uncomfortable.” Togami straightened his glasses and scowled.

“It’s fine. Don’t let it happen again,” he said shortly. Naegi nodded solemnly, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Of course.”

-

After Naegi had returned to his own room for the night, Togami was left alone with his thoughts once again. His head was a swirling mess of memories and whispers and emotions that he refused to let bubble up, and it was quite infuriating. As much as he tried to hate Naegi for reminding him of the grief and sorrow he kept bottled up, the heir found that he simply could not. _He reminds me of her…_

Although he couldn’t hear her voice or feel her touch any more, Togami could sense his mother’s joy and approval about how he had allowed himself to let Naegi in, even if just for a split second, before bringing up his walls again. He had cried, albeit unwillingly, in front of another person for the first time since he was a child, and the lucky student had simply hugged him tightly. There was no mocking, no callout, no guilting him into staunching his tears- only warmth, comfort, and easy silence. It was a foreign feeling, but not unwelcome.

_It was bewildering how much he seemed to care._

_“You just have to let me be here for you, okay?”_ But how was he supposed to do that? Togami was well aware that although he was a man of many, _many_ talents, emotional connection was not one of them. After all, he had never found it important enough to take the time to master it, instead focusing on fields that would further his career pursuits for the future. _Let me be here for you…_

Togami sighed and began going through the motions of readying himself for bed, the same as any other night. But unlike every other night, he found himself unable to sleep for a long time after he lay down.

For once, he couldn’t banish the memories of the past or the thoughts of someone in his present from his head.

-

_“Get ready to greet another beauuuutiful day!”_

Togami opened his eyes tiredly. As he blinked sleep out of his eyes, memories from the night before came flooding back into his head from his subconsciousness. Their refusal to let up had severely stunted his sleep, and he had tossed and turned for hours until finally passing out.

“Shut it, bear,” he mumbled as he put on his glasses, bringing the world into clarity. To his horror, Monokuma materialized behind him.

“Upupupu-” the bear snickered. “How are you doing on this fiiiiiine morning, Mr. Togami?”

“Awful now that you are here,” Togami responded, gritting his teeth. “Leave my room, Monokuma.”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Monokuma pouted. In a room on the other side of the school, a teenage girl chuckled as she continued to voice the robot bear. Her mind swirled with things to say, ways she could dig into the heir’s skin after witnessing such a heartfelt conversation the night before. After all, Junko’s passion - her calling, her vocation - was despair, and Togami was a dormant volcano of hopelessness on the verge of eruption.

“Hey hey, your conversation with your classmate last night was super interesting for this ole bear,” she chirped into her microphone. “Almost makes me wonder what kind of ulterior motive that little brat has, hm?”

Togami blanched, finally turning to face the mascot. “What did you say?”

“Oh, pupupupu~” Monokuma tittered. “Have I said too much? Tsk, tsk.”

“What do you mean by ulterior motive?” Togami demanded. “Tell me, bear-!”

“Why, why, have I worried you?” Junko crowed. “Upupupu, that wasn’t my intention at all! I was just gonna warn you about Naegi wanting to kill you, that’s all!”

“Foolish,” Togami spat. “You are a fool to think I would believe you, Monokuma. Leave my presence immediately.”

“You- you-” Monokuma - Junko - sputtered. “You think you can order me around?! No, no, no sirree! In fact, as punishment for that, I have something to tell you!”  
“I don’t want to hear it.”

“It’s about the Togami famil- oh, suit yourself!” Monokuma chortled. “Hasta la vista!”

And with that, he was gone.

 _About my family…_ The whispers were back, and they were _loud_ , and this time they weren’t that of Togami’s mother. No, no, they were far less gentle now- instead of nostalgic and bittersweet, they were cruel and haunting, gripping Togami’s chest and _squeezing_ tightly to the point where he could barely breathe.

The whispers from the staff and the media:

_“He isn’t fit to lead at all.”_

_“How did that man produce such a screwup? His mom must’ve been a real piece of work.”_

_“That kid’s going to have to change, or he won’t get_ anywhere _.”_

_“Right? A 180 like that sounds impossible. He’s totally screwed!”_

And, of course, the conversations with his father.

_“What’ll happen if I fail, Father?”_

_“That sounds like the kind of question a failure would ask.”_

_“I’m sorry, sir.”_

_“Will an apology make you any less of a disappointment?”_

_“No, sir.”_

_“Then why bother?”_

The words tormented him, ringing loudly in his head in a cacophony of memories that he had once forced himself to forget. Hands in his hair, he choked out a loud cry for the words to _stop, PLEASE_ , because they were _too much_ and he wasn’t that person anymore so why would those lines still remain to torture him? He had changed, like they asked. He had figuratively murdered the childish nature inside of him, forcing himself to mature instantly so that he could walk that esteemed path of success. His innocence, his playful side, his love of sweets and off-key singing as he played the piano, had all dissolved. He had killed the mischievous, happy boy whose mother called him ‘Kuya’.

So why, _why_ would he still have to suffer from those words?

He had done what they had demanded of him.

And on the fourth floor of the school, behind two tightly-locked doors, Junko Enoshima reveled in the despair that her words had unearthed in the heir.

“You won’t believe how well we’re doing, sis,” she bragged to empty air. “The despair is overflowing in all of them…”

But on the first, in the Despair Hotel, Togami merely dressed in his usual formal outfit, unaware of the intentions of the mastermind who watched his breakdown through the cameras.

“Good morning,” he said briefly as he entered the dining hall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Naegi studying him closely, likely trying to read his face. The rest of his classmates merely went about their mornings, peeved at the heir for missing an entire day of investigation but too scared of his response to really voice their annoyance.

“Good morning, Togami!” Naegi said, all too brightly. Hagakure nodded at him, Fukawa drooled a bit, and the rest simply stared at their plates.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Asahina asked, through a mouthful of pancake. “We still need to collect more evidence before the last trial, right?”

Kirigiri nodded, meeting her eyes briefly before turning her head to face the group. “We should split up into pairs for today,” she suggested. “To make the investigation go faster, but ensure that everyone stays safe.”

“B-but what if s-someone kills their partner?!” Fukawa challenged.

“Then it’d be obvious who committed the murder,” Togami responded drily. “Think before you speak, nimwit.”

“And I trust that none of us will kill anymore,” Kirigiri added. “Something’s changed. I’m confident that no murders will occur from here on out.” She was met with nods from all around, and she cracked a tired half-smile. “Can we pick partners or should we draw for them?”

“I’ll go with M-master!” Fukawa shouted, latching onto Togami’s arm. He shook her off, like a bug, and leaped away.

“Absolutely not. Anyone but her.”

“...We’ll draw straws to pick.” After a minute or so of preparation, she brandished a jar of straws. “The bottoms are all colored- there’s two of each color, as you may have guessed. Join up with your partner, make a plan, and get going.”

Everyone reached into the jar and pulled out a straw. With a sigh of relief, Togami noted that Fukawa had drawn red, while his straw was green. Although he noticed her trying to trade her straw for Asahina’s, the other green-straw wielder, he knew that Asahina wouldn’t do that to him, however great her dislike was for the heir.

“I guess we’re partners, Togami,” she muttered. Togami nodded, grimacing. _It could be worse, but Asahina was unbearable, and she hated him too…_

He vaguely noticed Hagakure linking his arm through Naegi’s, enthusiastically pointing in the direction of the doors to the hallway. Poor Kirigiri would have to put up with Fukawa for the day, he assumed. It really was quite unfortunate that she had survived this game instead of useful individuals like - well, okay, nobody in the school had really been all too useful, but Fukawa was worse than the rest.

“Where do you want to start?” Asahina asked, forcing a smile to her face.

“That kind of fake pleasantry won’t be needed.”

“Okay, jeez, I was just trying to… never mind. Um… do you wanna search the third floor?” Togami nodded, brushing past her to leave the room. He heard her grumbling as she jogged to catch up with him.

“I was thinking we could start in the Art Room and work our way right?” she suggested. “I don’t really wanna go in the room where, um… you know… do you think you could investigate that one alone? I’m sorry.”

“If I must,” Togami responded, straightening his glasses. “Well, let’s go already.”

-

The investigation was progressing slowly, but even though the two scoured every room completely, they found virtually nothing that would help their cause. It was, quite honestly, extremely frustrating to Togami that he had wasted a whole day searching for nothing with Asahina.

“You think we should go back to the dining room to report what we found?” Asahina asked wearily, clearly just as tired and let down as he was. Togami nodded shortly, and started towards the stairs.

He was stopped in his tracks by a loud, pained yelp coming from some number of floors above- a boy’s scream, and it definitely wasn’t Hagakure’s…

 _“Naegi,”_ Togami whispered, at the same time as Asahina yelled, “ _Makoto!”_ She tugged on Togami’s sleeve. “Come _on_ , rich boy, we have to go to him!”

For once, Togami found himself actually agreeing with the swimmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want to give togami a hug, naegi you're so lucky  
> (realizes he's the ultimate lucky student) oh yeah  
> //  
> you guys can have some physical contact, as a treat. don't get used to it, this is tagged slowburn for a reason, although I expect next chapter will be very sweet as well :))  
> //  
> thank you so much for reading!! <3 kudos and comments are very appreciated if you're liking the fic so far!


	6. discovery

On their way up the stairs, Togami and Asahina met up with Kirigiri and, unfortunately, Fukawa. The four ascended in heavy silence, each of their brains clouded with worry and fear. The students of Hope’s Peak 78th had long since learned that when negative emotions like those took over, they would take roots in one’s mind, rendering a person incapable of proper function. Togami was feeling this to some extent as he half-ran up the stairs, not wanting to look too worried but _needing_ to get to the fifth floor as quickly as possible.

 _He was_ not _losing another person… no. No. NO._

“I don’t know what has _you_ so worried, but don’t be,” Asahina said, nudging him as they moved swiftly. “He’s Makoto Naegi. He already survived an _execution_ , Togami, he’ll be fine. The boy has, like, plot armor or something.” She laughed, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Finally, after what felt like both a blur and an eternity, they all reached the top of the stairs; well, most of them- Fukawa was huffing and puffing about a floor down, less in shape than her three companions.

“Where is he?” Asahina asked breathlessly. Kirigiri looked around, and nodded down the hallway to their right.

“We can start in the bio lab,” she instructed. Everyone silently agreed and ran down the dark hallway, each contesting to be the first to the door. Eventually, the athlete among them one, with Togami close behind her. Breathless, Asahina swung open the door.

A horrified Yasuhiro awaited them, and-

And-

 _“A body has been discovered!”_ Monokuma announced over the loudspeakers. Togami’s eyes widened as they found Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student, collapsed on the floor unmoving.

-

-

“ _M-makoto!”_ Asahina choked, running to the boy’s side. “No…” And then, “Wait…” She stood up abruptly, tears halting in their tracks down her face. “ _MONOKUMA!”_ she screamed, absolute fury flaming in her eyes. “GET IN HERE!”   
It was the loudest that Togami had ever heard the swimmer speak, but he didn’t notice it at the time. Of course, his mind was completely preoccupied by the sight of Naegi on the floor, blood already pooling in a small puddle around his hair, wetting his messy hair with stains of red. _No, it was impossible_ . He could barely breathe as he stood rooted to the ground by his all-encompassing horror, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to even process the situation enough to properly _feel._ Instead, his mind was a muddled mess of cold numbness, shock, and a distant pain that was going to become far too prominent all too soon.

_He had to get out. He couldn’t- Not in front of the others. Not where they could see him, not where they could know-_

“Pupupupu!!” Monokuma snickered, appearing out of nowhere in the corner of the room. Asahina growled, suddenly feral and _pissed_ , and from the way she approached Monokuma, one might’ve guessed that she was going to hit him. She probably would have, if Kirigiri’s hand on her shoulder ( _“Aoi, breathe”_ ) hadn’t stopped her just in time. No school rules would be broken that day… not by Aoi Asahina, that is.

“You lying little-” She glared accusingly at Monokuma, still being gently restrained by the detective.

“Puhuhu!”

“Lying?” Kirigiri asked softly. “What do you mean, Aoi?”

“I _mean_ that Makoto is alive, and Monokuma is just- he’s just screwing with us!”

“The despair on your faces was beautiful!” Monokuma cried. “But, yes, the body discovery announcement was just a sham, of course! Who would even murder at this point in the game?”

A wave of relief washed over Togami like the embrace of a warm blanket - _like Naegi’s embrace from earlier._ It was almost immediately followed, however, with a burning fury similar to Asahina’s- he understood now why she had almost broken school rules to attack the bear. _He was alive. He was alive, and Monokuma tricked them, and he was_ alive _, thank God…_

-

Junko watched through Monokuma’s eyes as the despair on their faces morphed into pure, unadulterated _rage_ , and she almost squealed in glee - which would’ve broken Monokuma’s character, but she didn’t really mind. She had been bored out of her mind with all of the senseless investigating, and her beloved clairvoyant classmate accidentally hitting the bothersome lucky boy over the head with his elbow had provided the perfect opportunity to mess around a bit. It would’ve been even better if she had gotten to execute the overly-enthusiastic swimmer girl right then and there, but Miss Mystery had stepped in just in time.

She leaned back against the back of her chair, putting her feet up on the dashboard and chewing on the back of a pen. Maybe their under-wraps relationship’s development would provide some drama for the viewers. Were they just friends? Had Zero-Gravity Ponytail moved on from buff girl already? _No, that was impossible._

It was quite intriguing, and Junko made a mental note to keep an eye on them.

Speaking of drama… Junko smiled sadistically as she watched emotions clearly written on Sir Capitalism’s face for the first time in the presence of his classmates. Had he been… grieving? Her smile grew as his fury was exhibited in the balling of his fists, the subtle tightening of his jaw. _Tsk, tsk, Togami,_ she thought. _What’s going through your pretty little head there?_ The past few days had been absolutely marvelous for Junko’s despair initiative, since so many emotions had surfaced from several of the remaining students. Asahina’s survivor guilt, Kirigiri’s confusion regarding her role in everything, Naegi’s horror over almost being executed… and, of course, Togami’s daddy issues. It was almost _too_ perfect: an emotional buildup before the sixth trial, the climax of the story? Count Junko in!

The days since her beloved sister’s death had been all too lonely, but she had been comforted by the presence of her classmates on the other side of the monitors. If she watched them wherever they went, she could pretend that they were back in their school days of Hope’s Peak, where she’d made friends with some of them. Of course, she hadn’t tried _too_ hard to comfort herself, since her sister’s death _was_ all for the sake of despair…

 _Oh, well._ Back to focusing on the monitors…

-

Togami felt himself _shaking_ in rage at the bear’s admission. How _dare_ Monokuma toy with their emotions like that..? His heart was still racing from his thoughts of losing Naegi, too, ( _“Let me be there for you, Togami!”_ is useless if the sayer is dead), because he honestly thought that his death might be the final blow to finish off a series of devastating injuries to Togami’s sanity. He didn’t even want to imagine what that might be like- but he did anyway, _lashing out, broken glass, loud sobs, locked door,_ and regretted it almost instantly. He had lived his entire life ignoring the emotional side of himself, and it had worked out perfectly.

But now… he felt himself slipping. Naegi wasn’t dead, but he was still unconscious on the floor, and Togami felt the surprising draw towards him - _make sure he’s okay! -_ but he couldn’t act on that pull because what would the others think? Besides, Asahina and Kirigiri were already at his side, so Togami knew that the boy was in good hands.

Instead, he’d try to figure out what happened.

“Hagakure,” he said coldly, “what did you do?”

The clairvoyant threw up his hands defensively. “H-hey, it wasn’t totally my fault…”

“What. Did. You. Do,” Togami repeated. “That’s not a difficult question, or are you witless?”

“I, uh…” He scratched his head, embarrassed. “We saw somethin’ that was _super freaky_ , and I may have jumped back and hit Naegi here in the head really hard with my elbow…” 

“And what, may I ask, would warrant such a violent reaction?” the heir asked icily. “Please, tell.”

“Well, um, I’m not sure anyone really wants to see it, but… we found the real use of this room.”

Kirigiri stood up from Naegi’s unmoving form and met Hagakure’s eyes. “A morgue, right?” she asked confidently. “I assumed as much. There’s no other reason for it to be this cold.”

Asahina looked up at the detective, eyes shining despite her worry for Naegi. “You’re so smart, Kirigiri!” she praised. “Good thinking!”

“Just Kyoko is fine,” Kirigiri said shortly, with the hint of a smile. Asahina’s mouth fell open slightly, and her cheeks reddened as she nodded silently and turned back to her unconscious friend.

“I think he’s waking up!” Asahina announced. Taking that as a cue to move, Togami knelt next to Asahina, all but pushing her aside to get a better look at Naegi. His eyes were closed and his head was still bleeding from where he’d hit the ground, although the blood was thankfully flowing much slower now. _He’s probably concussed… that will no doubt hinder our investigation. A shame._

“Naegi,” he said softly. He could feel the others’ eyes on him, wondering why he was nearly exhibiting _worry_ over the lucky student, but he didn’t care what they thought. Finally, after another minute or two of waiting, Naegi finally stirred.

“T-togami? ...Aoi? What’re you guys doin’ at my house..?”

“D-definitely concussed,” Fukawa grumbled. “W-what an idiot.”

“Makoto, we’re at Hope’s Peak,” Asahina explained gently. “You hit your head and got knocked unconscious, you’re probably concussed. Don’t sit up, okay?”

“Oh yeah?” Naegi slurred. “My assistan’ can prolly help w’ that. She here?”

The five exchanged awkward glances, a heavy, uncomfortable silence settling over the room. Naegi’s eyes flitted around from his position on the floor, bewildered as to why his question wasn’t being answered.

“Guys?”

“...Sayaka isn’t here right now, Makoto,” Asahina finally said, her lips drawn in a thin line that suggested stale anger, or sadness, or both. “We’re here to help you, though. Me, Kir- Kyoko, Fukawa, Hiro, and Togami.”

“Oh… okay. There’s somethin’ I wanna ask her, but I guess I’ll have to ask later, huh?” He chuckled. “Hey… why do you all look so sad?”

“Just worried about you.” Asahina forced a bright smile to her face. “How are you feeling?”

“...Tell Komaru to sto’ punchin’ me in the head, please…”

“I suppose that answers that question, then,” Kirigiri sighed. “Hey, Makoto, we’re going to take you back to your room now, okay?” She stood up, smiling grimly as she surveyed the room. “Who thinks they can carry him down four flights of stairs?”

“I’m probably the strongest here, but I dunno if I’d be able to carry him down the stairs…also, we’re, like, the same height, so it might be difficult,” Asahina said. “I’d say Hiro, but Makoto isn’t very comfortable around him…”

“H-hey! What is that supposed to mean?!” Hagakure demanded.

“D-didn’t you ask him t-to sell his organs?” Fukawa retorted. “S-super creepy.”

As Hagakure grumbled something under his breath, Togami stepped forward. “I’ll take him,” he muttered. When everyone’s jaws dropped in surprise, he continued. “I am the Togami heir, I have perfect body composition and am in extremely good shape. It will not be a challenge.”

Asahina shrugged. “He seems to be oddly okay with your company, so I guess that’s fine. Don’t drop him.”

Togami scoffed. “Clearly.” He bent down and gently scooped Naegi into his arms, bridal style, one hand cupping the back of his head to keep his neck upright, the other arm hooked under his legs to balance the weight distribution. Naegi was surprisingly light, and just like he had boasted, it wasn’t difficult at all. With his arms loosely looped around the taller boy’s neck, Naegi - although still very, _very_ out of it - felt completely safe and secure, which he decided to tell Togami in a slurred, choppy voice as they descended the stairs.

“Well, of course you do,” Togami responded. “I’m obviously not going to drop you.”

“No, no, no,” Naegi mumbled. “I feel safe b’cause it’s you…”

“What is that supposed to mean?”  
“You dunno?” he asked, surprise evident in his tone. Togami shook his head. “Well, ‘Kuya, I don’t either… so… haha.” He giggled lightly before going silent again.

“Togami,” Togami corrected. Naegi shook his head.

“No, that’s you. I’m Naegi.” His eyes opened blearily and he studied the heir’s face. “It is you… right?”

“...Yes.”

“Okay. Tha’ good. I wouldn’t want anyone else carryin’ me like this… except ‘aybe Komaru, she’s stronger th-than she looks. Oh, an’ Ogami. She’s real’ strong and ‘ependable.” He looked around. “Hey, where’s Ogami? She was here just a second ago.”

“She isn’t here right now…” Togami said slowly, deliberately. “What do you mean, she was here?”  
“While I was aslee’... saw her talkin’ to me… ‘n’ I saw Sayaka… an’ Taka… ‘n’ Fujisaki…”

“...You hallucinated that, Naegi.”

“I did?” He looked disappointed and shocked. “Ah… that’s too bad. They were all… really nice to me.”

Togami felt a pang of guilt as he carefully watched Naegi’s face. _What if he never remembered what happened to their classmates…?? What if he had forgotten… how everyone died…_

_Who would have to explain that to him?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't like this chapter all that much... sorry, guys. let me know what you think ig?  
> //  
> next chapter is going to be an angst fest so. buckle up my dudes  
> //  
> as always, thanks for reading! <3


	7. tumble

“Togami? Why do you look so concerned?” Naegi mumbled. “Komaru stopped punchin’ me in the head, ‘m feeling better.” He paused for a beat, and then, “Oh. Never mind. She’s mad again.”

“...It’s nothing,” Togami responded, although his head was a swirling mess of emotions and worries. _Had Naegi really forgotten… all of the traumatic things that had happened within the school’s walls?_

_Would it be more humane to just… let him forget?_

Because for the first time since Leon stabbed the life out of the idol girl, Naegi’s eyes didn’t look dead. Instead, they were tired, but radiated a bright light that Togami didn’t want to have to extinguish. His innocence had returned, and although he still looked dizzy and out of it, his smile was ten times brighter than it had been any other time in the killing game.

It reminded Togami of what he himself had looked like before he had shot down the light in his own eyes: _if I got a chance to go back to who I was then, would I?_

_What would Naegi want him to do?_

“Naegi,” he said slowly. “What do you remember about Sayaka?”

“Sayaka,” Naegi repeated, a wide smile crossing his face. “She’s real’ pretty and super sweet… I knew her in g-grade school, she’s my assistant now.”

Togami hummed in response, concern etched into his tone. He opened his mouth to talk to the boy - what he was going to say, he hadn’t quite decided yet - but as if on cue, Kirigiri and Asahina came running down the stairs after them.

“How’s it goin’?” Asahina asked, smiling up at him. “Is he, like, awake?”

“Hey… Aoi…” Naegi mumbled. “How’s your girlfriend?”

Asahina stopped suddenly, and Kirigiri stopped just before running into her. “Um…”

“I see,” Kirigiri said quietly. “So he’s forgotten…”

“It does seem that way, yes.”

“Forgotten what?” Naegi’s eyes flitted between the three, curiously searching their expressions for the answers he sought. “Is something wrong? ‘M tired…”

“Nothing is wrong, Makoto,” Kirigiri reassured. “Sleep for a bit, okay? We’ll have to wake you up periodically, so…you might as well get a head start.” Naegi nodded, closing his eyes and letting his head fall to rest against Togami’s chest. The heir hoped that the lucky student was too out of it to notice how quickly his heart was pounding at the sudden contact. After almost ten years of no affectionate physical contact with anyone, the last few days had shaken him to his core, and he had _not_ grown accustomed to the warmth that spread through his body every time Naegi touched him just yet. It was, admittedly, a good feeling, and not one that he minded all too much. The weight of his head on his chest felt oddly intimate, though, and if Asahina and Kirigiri weren’t watching him like hawks, Togami probably would’ve shifted the boy around so that he wasn’t leaning against him in such a heart-poundingly awkward way.

But, of course, they were, so he resolved to just let Naegi sleep right where he was.

“So, um…” Asahina said quietly, her voice still pained from the memories of Ogami sparked by a blissfully oblivious Naegi’s statement. “Are we going to tell him?”  
“We have to,” Kirigiri responded. “I’m not quite sure how we’ll go about it, though… it is quite the cruel thing to remind him of.” Togami remained silent, not knowing what words would pour out if he allowed his mouth to open.

Finally, they reached the first floor. Togami gently shook Naegi awake so that the boy could give them his room key, and he laid the lucky student on his bed. “What now?” he asked.

“We need to keep an eye on him if he wants to sleep,” Kirigiri instructed. “Since it seems like a pretty severe concussion, we’ll want to stir him awake about hourly, talk to him a bit, and let him go back to sleep.”

“Should we take shifts in here?” Asahina suggested. “We could each take a few hours, Kyoko, and we could switch off…”

“I am inclined to let you know that I would not mind helping out, either,” Togami said. “I will take several shifts as well.”

“You sure, Togami?” Asahina asked doubtfully. “You don’t have to.”

“Recall that I am the one who watched over him during his fever,” Togami said, raising an eyebrow. “I offered to help, so it is in your favor to accept.”

“Alright,” she responded, meeting his eyes in a silent challenge. “Thanks.”

-

A knock at his door stirred Togami out of his fitful sleep. _Two quick knocks and two longer ones…_ the code they had determined earlier to identify the knocker. All six trusted that no more murders would happen, but they could never be too careful, right?

He stood up too quickly, sending his head into spirals, and opened the door. “Kirigiri. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Togami,” she answered coolly. “Are you prepared for your shift?” Togami nodded. “Thank you. You are with him from now until the wakeup announcement- that is about four hours.”

“I am aware. I will be off now. Get some sleep, Kirigiri.” The heir brushed past her and into the hallway, where Naegi’s door was one door away on the opposite side. He unlocked the boy’s door with the key that the detective had presented him with, and entered the dark bedroom.

“Who’s that?” came a tired voice from underneath the covers. “Is it… Aoi? No… Kyoko’s back?”

“Guess again.”

“Togami?” Naegi peeked his head out from under the blankets. “I was right! Gold star for me…” he chuckled, his head completely emerging from his blanket tent. His hair was mussed from his pillow and his cheeks were flushed from being stifled in the too-warm embrace of the covers. Togami, on the other hand, looked refined as always; he never suffered from bedhead, and had taken the time to change before greeting Kirigiri at the door. Naegi must’ve noticed this, because he immediately followed up with, “Wow… didn’t know babysitting concussed Naegi was a formal event,” and a forced laugh.

“I dress like this whenever I am in front of others,” Togami said shortly. “How are you feeling? You seem more… lucid than earlier.”

“I’m a bit better…” the lucky student responded. Togami noted that he was talking much slower than normal, and pointed it out to the boy. “Well, I’m tryin’ to not slur my words so much… don’ want you guys to worry.”

“That’s foolish,” Togami responded. “We are all going to worry anyways. There is no reason for you to exert extra effort into preventing that.”

A soft, genuine smile touched at the corners of Naegi’s lips. “You said you’re worried about me…” The smile faded quickly, though, as he continued talking. “But actually, I am feelin’ better… my head isn’t pounding _as_ much…and I don’ feel like puking any more.”

“That is good. Now, get some sleep, Naegi.”

“Hey, Togami?”

“Yes?”

“You know what would help me sleep?” Naegi smiled mischeviously. “Some nice music.” The request was so pure and genuine, Togami couldn’t help relenting.

“I suppose I could arrange for that… will you be okay on your own for a spell?”

“Actually… could I come with you?” Naegi bit his lip, looking away. “I’d like to walk around a bit… it might be good for me.”

“...Alright,” Togami sighed. “Can you stand up?”

“Let’s try sitting up first,” Naegi muttered. With obvious effort, he pushed himself up into a seated position. “Gah-!” He clutched his head, squeezing his eyes shut. “D-dizzy-”

Togami was at his side in a heartbeat, putting an arm behind his back to prevent the boy from falling backwards and hitting his head on the headboard, which would only worsen the situation. “That was a foolish idea,” he chastised. “Lie down, and I will go get my violin alone.”

“No…” Naegi said, cringing after shaking his head slightly. “I want to come. I have to get up sometime…” His voice trailed off as he met the heir’s eyes. “Hey, what’s that look for?”

“Look?”

“Mm… never mind. Can I, um…” Eventually, the lucky student gave up on talking, and just acted. He looped his arm around the taller boy’s neck and pulled himself up into a wobbly standing position. “Thanks…”

“Are you positive that you will be okay to walk?” Togami asked for the hundredth time. “You look like you are going to pass out any minute.”

Naegi nodded, having made up his mind. “Yes, but can I keep my arm here?” He nodded to where his right hand clutched to Togami’s right shoulder, barely able to reach because of their obscene height difference. “I’ll probably fall if I don’t…”

“If you must,” Togami muttered, straightening his glasses with his other hand. “Let’s go.”

The two walked, the taller almost completely supporting the weight of the smaller, very slowly across the hallway to Togami’s room. Naegi’s steps were stumbling and staggered, only straightened by Togami’s poise, and he almost fell down several times before they reached the door. “Wait out here, okay?” Naegi nodded, leaning up against the wall for support, and Togami soon returned back into the hallway with his violin case. “Are you okay?”

“Very, very dizzy,” Naegi mumbled. “‘n’ my head is trying to kill me… time to go back to m’ room.” Togami nodded, frowning. He helped the smaller boy’s hand onto his shoulder to make sure that he didn’t fall, and they began their journey back. The heir shot several worried glances in the direction of the lucky student as he tottered towards his door, and then-

“Aa-ah-!” Naegi cried out as he tripped- his eyes were squeezed tightly shut from the pain of the throbbing headache, and he’d missed a fold in the carpet under their feet.

“Naegi-!” Togami cried. In a flash, he was in front of the falling boy, dropping the violin case just in time to catch him in his arms. Naegi’s hands found themselves clutching to the front of Togami’s neat collared shirt, holding on tightly to prevent himself from falling any further. He clung to the taller boy with whitened knuckles, spooked after seeing the ground rushing towards him; after all, if the heir hadn’t stepped in, he surely wouldn’t have been able to stop his collision with the floor. Naegi’s head crashed into Togami’s chest - he really was atrociously short, and the Ultimate Affluent Progeny was a giant - and he breathed in his warmth as he felt himself still.

Meanwhile, without thinking, Togami’s arms instinctively wrapped protectively around Naegi’s back, steadying him, forcibly holding him in place to ensure that he didn’t slip out of his grasp. After all, he would have hell to pay from Asahina and Kirigiri if the boy got hurt under his care. He could feel him shaking, could assume from how the smaller boy’s forehead was pressed into his chest that the headaches were not easing, but worsening. Togami could only make an educated guess that his eyes were still shut tightly, trying to will away the world-rocking dizziness that had clearly consumed him as a result of the concussion. The contact was sudden and unexpected, but fully necessary, and not entirely detested, either.

“Thank you,” Naegi mumbled, and the moment was shattered. Togami’s arms loosened in their embrace, and he would’ve taken a step back if not for the certainty of the boy falling again without his constant support. He inhaled deeply as Naegi released his vise-grip on his shirt - the boy’s firm grasp had tightened his already-snug shirt, and the collar had been suffocating - and dropped his hands to the lucky student’s shoulders.

“Don’t do that again,” he reprimanded, almost inaudibly. “Back to your room, now.” He bent over to pick up the discarded violin case, and that was that.

 _Almost_ like nothing had ever happened.

Almost.

“Thank you, Togami,” Naegi said softly, after he was finally tucked back into his bed. “Maybe that wasn’t… such a great idea…”

“Do not be so careless next time.”

“Yeah…” Naegi glanced away, looking towards his bathroom door. Togami studied him carefully, trying his hardest to read his expression…

_An all-too-familiar sadness._

Naegi’s shoulders were slumped again, like they were a few days ago, and the recognized sorrow glinted in his eyes once again. “Hey, Togami?” he said quietly.  
“Yes, Naegi?”

“I think… some of my memories are starting to come back, and…” He bit his lip. “Where is Sayaka… really?”

The absence of joy in those brown eyes were enough for Togami to know that lying was not an option this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWO UPDATES TODAY?? i'm crazy apparently. don't get used to it  
> //  
> so... this chapter was super sweet and wholesome (yay)... the next one is going to be Angst Central. :,) buckle up, folks  
> //  
> thanks for reading! <3 leave a comment to let me know what you thought!


	8. insanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is ~crap~ but enjoy ig

_ “ _ _ They say insanity is trying the same thing but expecting something new; well, we must be insane, 'cus we keep trying this, expecting to pull through.” -  _ Last Time _ \- Anson Seabra _

Togami’s breath caught in his throat.  _ Where is Sayaka…  _ how could he possibly bring himself to answer that? It would be cruel and painful to tell him the truth, yet Togami condemned selfish lies such as that. He decided to proceed carefully, testing the waters before digging himself deeper into this hole.

“Why do you ask?” Togami asked cautiously. “Where do you think she is?”

“I don’t know.” Naegi bit his lip, clearly frustrated. “I know that she isn’t here, but… she should be. That’s what... has me worried.” His voice was still shaky and weak, but an obvious shift had happened to these words- they gained conviction, and confidence. “A-and I find it strange that I’ve only seen five of our classmates, ‘cluding you, since I regained consciousness…” His tone became grim. “What happened, Togami?”

The heir grimaced.  _ He was not the right person to break this news…  _ For a beat, he considered calling in Asahina, or even Kirigiri, to take over in his stead. But one more glance at Naegi’s eyes told him that this conversation had to happen right here, right now- with him. So Togami steeled himself, preparing to just say it, rip off the band-aid to minimize the searing pain that would follow-  _ Naegi, she’s dead. _

_ They’re all dead. _

And, essentially, that is what he ended up saying, with his hands crossed in front of him and his glasses perched on his nose, to the lucky student trembling as he juggled killer headaches, dizziness, and an onslaught of new information. “W-what do you mean…” Naegi said shakily, almost inaudibly, phrased as more of a statement than a question. He had gotten even paler than he was before, and his hands were quivering as they compressed the sides of his head in a desperate attempt to manage the headaches.

“I mean exactly what I said.”

“Yeah…” Naegi mumbled, his voice laced with heavy sorrow, packed with guilt, strung with a newfound grief that wracked his bones. “I… remembered most of that… just… didn’t w-want it to be true.”

“Only fools stray away from the truth, Naegi.” Togami met the boy’s eyes, and found that he quite hated what he found lurking there- the familiar desolation that lurked in someone who had lost far too much all too quickly. Yet Togami couldn’t find it in himself to console Naegi; iron hands gripped his throat, smothering any words that he could’ve formulated to make the situation at all better, and a condemning, unfiltered statement slipped out before he could even try to stop it. “You’re being foolish.”

Naegi looked up at him with an empty gaze, nodding slowly. “Can you get Aoi or Kyoko for me?” he asked, his voice completely devoid of emotion.

“It is my shift,” Togami replied coolly. “If you need anything, you may ask me.”

“Not to be rude or anything… but I don’t think you can give me what I need right now.” Naegi forced a bitter laugh. “Go to bed, T-togami… please, and… wake Aoi and Kyoko to come in here.”

“Naegi, what has gotten into you?”   
“Oh, it’s nothing,” he responded, in an uncharacteristically icy tone.

“That’s a lie. Tell me, Naegi.”   
Naegi met his eyes. “You really want me to say w-what’s going through m’ head..?”

“Did I stutter?”

“Fine… it’s just that you’re t-telling me to… just  _ get over  _ the deaths of my friends. That isn’t s-something that normal ‘eople can do… although I assume you wouldn’t know, b-because you seem like someone who’s always… g-gotten everythin’ he wanted.” He spoke quickly, tripping up on words as he rushed through the accusations, clearly uncomfortable. An apology hung silently in his eyes, but he didn’t voice it, because although the words were cruel, he felt as if they were true.

Togami stared at him in stunned silence.  _ If only he knew… just how much he’d lost. _

The lucky student was just as much of a fool as he had originally suspected.

“You do not have any idea what you’re talking about,” the heir said coldly. “I will call Aoi and Kyoko in. I hope that they, who have clearly suffered more than me and are thus better equipped to deal with you, can help.”

“Great. Thanks.”

Togami turned his back on Naegi without a single glance back, pulling the door open with the key in his hand. If he had looked back to the boy, the heir would’ve seen the tears silently rolling down his face as he watched Togami leave.

-

“What is it?” Asahina asked, rubbing her eyes to clear them of sleep. “Togami?”   
“Naegi would like to speak with you and Kirigiri,” he said simply. Asahina blinked, clearly confused.

“About?” she prodded.

“I told him the truth, and he got upset.” The swimmer’s eyes narrowed, and her gaze turned accusatory.

“I knew we shouldn’t have left him with you,” she muttered. After handing her the key and wishing her good luck, Togami returned to his room, scowling all the way.

It was only once he had settled into his bedroom, sitting down on the side of his bed, that he realized he had left his violin case leaning up against Naegi’s wall.

-

“Makoto,” Asahina gasped, walking swiftly to his bedside. “What happened?”

Naegi couldn’t speak between bouts of gasping tears, and Asahina and Kirigiri exchanged worried glances.

“We’re here now, Makoto,” Kirigiri said gently. “Are you okay?”

“N-no!” he choked. “Sayaka is  _ dead _ , t-they’re all  _ d-dead _ , and Togami  _ hates _ m-me!”

“So he told you, then,” the detective stated. “I’m sure the memories and acceptance will come back fully in time, but until then, we will be here.” Asahina nodded energetically, although her smile was strained and tight.

“Yep!” she concurred. “How can we help?”

“I…” He wasn’t able to finish the sentence, though, because he was cut off by the swimmer wrapping her arms tightly around him in a warm, comforting embrace that felt more like a tackle.

“Shh,” she murmured. “It’s gonna be okay, hm?”

Kirigiri smiled at Asahina gratefully before hesitantly placing a hand on Naegi’s shoulder. “Yes. She’s right, Makoto.”

Naegi’s sobs were stifled by Asahina’s hug, and his breathing slowed as his friends comforted him. “I remember…” he mumbled. She just nodded, hugging him tighter. “Kuwata… and Owada… Yasuhiro… Ogami,” he whispered, voice breaking.

“I know.”

“They all…”

“I know.” She rubbed his back comfortingly, whispering reassurances in his ear. “I know, Makoto.”

“My head hurts…”

“I’m sure it does. Do you want one of us to get you some painkillers?”

“If it’s not too much trouble…” he said softly. Kirigiri nodded.

“Not at all. I’ll be back shortly,” she responded with a faint smile. “Sit tight, Makoto.”

Once she was gone, Asahina dropped her arms, breaking the contact and, instead, sitting down next to the lucky student. “Do you want to talk about what happened with Togami?”

“He’s an egotistical, privileged j-jerk who… stomps on other people… for his own ‘ersonal gain,” Naegi spat, unusually angry. “I keep trying with him… y’know? I j-just thought that…” He stopped to let out a shaky breath. “There… have been t-times where… I thought that we could be friends.”

“What did he do today?” Asahina asked quietly. She reached out and put her arm around Naegi, tugging him to her side. “It’s okay, it’ll be okay, I’m here.”

“Ugh, Aoi, he’s just… it’s r-ridiculous of me to… keep trying like this… ‘xpecting a different outcome. I’m foolish… just like ‘e said.”

“Hey, hey, you aren’t foolish at all!” Asahina exclaimed, squeezing his shoulder. “You’re, like, one of the smartest people I know! We wouldn’t be able to get through the trials without you, y’know.” She paused, biting her lip. “Also, you’re really good at reading people. Usually. So as much as I dislike him, if you think there’s another side to that rich prick, you’re probably right. But Makoto,” she said, narrowing her eyes, “you aren’t under any obligation to keep putting up with his BS. If he’s hurting you in any way, you’re always allowed to leave… or tell him to leave. Remember that, okay?”   
Naegi smiled faintly, nudging her shoulder lightly with his head. “Thanks, Aoi… you’re a really good f-friend.”

“I try my best,” she said with a smile.

Their conversation was cut short by the door swinging open. The purple-haired detective stood in the doorway, brandishing a bottle of painkillers from the infirmary. “I’m back,” Kirigiri stated plainly. “How is he?” she asked, the question directed to Asahina.

“He’s alright,” she responded with a half-smile. “We got to talk a bit.”

“Oh yeah?” Kirigiri raised an eyebrow. “Anyways, here’s some water to wash those down. Don’t take more than two.” Naegi nodded gratefully, taking the pills and glass from her hand and taking them quickly.

“Headache b-begone…” he murmured. It was an attempt at a joke, but the feebleness in his voice had the opposite effect on the two girls.

“Hey, Naegi?” Asahina interjected. “Um… I was just thinking… would you be okay with us calling Monokuma in to give you a checkup and make sure that nothing is too screwed up in there?” She tapped the lucky student’s head playfully.

“Diiiid someone say Monokuma~?”

Sure enough, the black-and-white bear had appeared on the other side of the room, grinning roguishly. “Do ya idiots need my help?”

“Unfortunately,” Kirigiri responded. “Can you make sure Naegi doesn’t have any lasting damage from his head injury?”   
“I dunno, can I?” Monokuma retorted. “Oh, I know! I’ll give him the full checkup… for the small price of one of you committing a murder!” Asahina and Kirigiri exchanged weary glances.

“You already know the answer to that one,” the swimmer said. “C’mon, Monokuma, it’d be totally lame if someone just died from a normal injury, right?”

“You do make a good point,” the bear said, weighing the girl’s words. “Alrighty, alrighty, fine. I’m feeling generous, so I’ll help you morons out!” He toddled up to Naegi’s bedside, where the lucky student looked very nervous as he watched Monokuma approach. “Yeah, yeah, he’s gonna be totally fine. Super concussed, but no brain damage or anythin’.”

“H-how’d you do that so fast?” Asahina demanded. Monokuma shrugged.

“I’m a state-of-the-art bear, dummies. I have my ways. Anyways, the guy is fine, but still pretty messed up, so if any of you are planning to escape the school…”

“ _ No _ ,” Asahina and Kirigiri chorused in unison.

“Alright, alright,” Monokuma muttered. “Jeez, guys, no need to gang up on me.” And with that, the bear disappeared, leaving three bewildered - but very relieved - teenagers crowded in the room.

“That’s good, hm?” Asahina smiled. “See, Naegi? Everything’s gonna be fine! And you’re remembering stuff, right?”

Naegi hummed in response. “Most of it…”

“You feeling any better?”

“A bit… remembering everything is helping, I think, and talking to you guys.” He paused. “I mean, are any of us completely okay? I think I feel just as okay as I was before my concussion.”

“That’s good, I suppose,” Kirigiri said softly. “Healing takes time. All of us understand that, and we’re all here for each other through this all.”

Asahina nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, Makoto, Kyoko’s right! We’re a team, us six!” She sighed. “Maybe just us five, seeing how Togami is affecting the group…”

Kirigiri cocked her head. “Oh?”

“He said some really mean things to Makoto today. That’s one of the reasons he’s in such a slump,” Asahina explained with a frown. “Really, we’d probably be better off without him. He’s so negative, and… there are some things I just can’t forgive him for…”

“He isn’t… that bad, you g-guys,” Naegi cut in, smiling weakly. “He really isn’t… usually he’s c-cold and harsh, but… he has a n-nice streak too. Really.”

Asahina smiled at Kirigiri. “Our Makoto is too kind.” She shut up, though, with one worried look at their friend’s face. “Hey, Makoto, why’re you crying again?”

“Ah… it’s n-nothing,” he stammered, looking away. “J-just upset over… my fight with T-togami.”

“Fight?” Kirigiri asked curiously. “What happened?”

“Nothing too… s-significant… he jus’ hates me now… that’s all. I screw’ up.”

“What did you say?”   
“Jus’... called ‘im privileged… said how h-he always gets everythin’ he wants… y’know.” Naegi closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, and let his head fall back against his pillow. “‘M tired.”

“Hm… although it may be true, you can never make those assumptions about people,” Kirigiri said thoughtfully. “You can never know unless you ask them directly, and I doubt you two are that close friends yet, hm?”

“Yet?” Naegi scoffed. “I… d-don’t want anythin’ to… do with that guy… anymore. I’m sure h-he feels the same…”

The three talked for a few more minutes until Naegi finally passed out from a surplus of emotional and physical exhaustion. Asahina found the chair, and started snoring in an impressive amount of time, and that left Kirigiri awake, to watch over both of them. She sat down in the corner and leaned her head back against the junction of the walls, trying to will her mind to still. The day - no, the past several weeks, at that - had been a whirr of emotion and eventfulness, between the false body discovery and Naegi’s amnesia - and she honestly just wanted to get some sleep.

But looking at Asahina, snoring peacefully, and Naegi, locked into a fitful sleep, she knew that she couldn’t.  _ To protect them. _

And then, at the least opportune time possible, Kirigiri heard a firm knock at the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all i,, absolutely hate this chapter,, idk I'm sorry for promising angst and then not delivering :,,)  
> I've noticed while writing that all of my writing feels flat and basically emotionless.. it'll be something I work on over the course of this fic I guess?  
> //  
> anyways. aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl aoi best girl a-  
> //  
> once again, thanks for reading and please let me know what you thought in the comments!! <3


	9. prelude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i'm back :3

~ Approximately 3 years earlier ~

(i’m calling the naegis by their first names in narration here for the same of not being super confusing haha)

_ “Mornin’ sleepyhead!” Komaru trilled, waltzing into the kitchen with her usual vigor. Komaru was, quite clearly, a morning person, and it showed in moments like these- her older brother was slumped over the counter, his ahoge almost in his cereal bowl, groaning about how early it was. “Hey, the morning news is on!” _

_ “Of course it is, ‘maru, that’s on every morning,” Makoto mumbled. “What’re they talking about?” _

_ “Just politics, I think,” she responded. “Hey, why’re you so tired?” She smiled mischievously, nudging him gently with her elbow. “Did you stay up all night researching your future classmates again?” _ _   
_ _ “No!” he exclaimed defensively. “Well… okay. Maybe. ...Yes.” He stared into his cereal, his eyes glittering with excitement despite his exhaustion. “They’re all so exceptional… it’s daunting, really.” _

_ “You may be a super lame older brother, but you’re pretty cool yourself, Makoto.” _

_ “Haha… I’m just about as normal as it gets, really,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s crazy that someone like me would ever be accepted into Hope’s Peak…” _

_ Komaru opened her mouth to respond, but shut it quickly, turning to face the television. “Hey Makoto, isn’t he one of the Ultimates for Class 78th?” She pointed at the blond boy on the screen. He was dressed in a sharp suit and sported a distasteful scowl that gave the impression of superiority and influence. _

_ “My name is Togami Byakuya. You are welcome for my choice to appear on this foolish show of yours,” the boy said to the host, who was staring at him in embarrassed bewilderment. _

_ Komaru snickered. “He seems like a real ray of sunshine.” _

_ Makoto nodded amusedly. “I’m sure he’s nice enough in person.” _

_ “Oh yeah? What makes you say that?” Komaru asked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, I get it. You just think he’s cute, hm?” _

_ “K-komaru! Keep your voice down!” Makoto whisper-yelled. “And no- well, I mean yes, but no. I just think everyone has a good side, y’know?” _

_ “You’re too kind for your own good, Makoto.” Her brother shrugged, seemingly more awake as he watched the TV. _

_ “I just like seeing the good in people…” _

_ “I know. But you gotta make sure to look out for yourself too, alright?” _

_ “What do you mean?” Makoto cocked his head, studying his sister’s face as she toasted a bagel. _

_ “What I mean is that people might take advantage of your inclination to like everyone,” she explained. “If you think that everyone is good, bad people could become part of your life much more easily. You have to learn to stand up for yourself, and see people from a realistic perspective, not an idealistic one.” _

_ “Big words from someone who’s in love with a manga character,” Makoto smirked. “Your bagel’s ready, Komaru.” _

_ “Oh! So it is.” _

-

Kirigiri swung open the door, a frown plastered on her face. Her expression of annoyance only grew when she saw who waited on the other side. “Togami,” she whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“I left my violin case,” he said shortly, trying to brush past her to enter the room. The detective shook her head, jutting her elbow out to block the entrance.

“There’s no way Makoto will want you in here. I’ll get it for you,” she responded. She turned to grab the violin case for her, but was cut off by the heir ducking under her hand to go inside.

“No one tells me what to do,” he muttered. “Especially not you.”

Asahina, luckily, was a heavy sleeper, and she didn’t stir when Togami stormed into Naegi’s bedroom, not even bothering to quiet his footsteps. The lucky student, however, was not so deep asleep. He blearily opened his eyes, squinting in the dark to see the newcomer. “Who’s that…” he mumbled.

Togami froze, stock still under Naegi’s scrutiny. “It’s me, Naegi,” he finally responded. Naegi’s mouth wrinkled as if he had bitten into a lemon, his demeanor shifting in a second. He no longer looked sleepy; instead, he wore a look of pure abhorrance, a hint of fear, a dash of sadness.

“...What’re you doing here?” he murmured. Togami, ignoring him, knelt down to pick up the violin case. With a nod to the still-sleeping Asahina, and a pointed look in Naegi’s direction, the heir walked towards the door, where Kirigiri waited for him. To his surprise, though, she still stood in the doorway, not permitting him to leave.

“I’ve changed my mind. I believe that you and Makoto have much to talk about,” she said quietly. “If you’d like Aoi and I to leave, we will. But you are not leaving this room until he does not believe that you hate him any more.”

“You don’t boss me around, woman,” he said, gritting his teeth. “Let me out at once.”

“Togami, he’s going to lash out if you two don’t figure this out soon,” she responded calmly. And there it was:  _ that vision again,  _ the picture painted behind Togami’s eyes that he desperately didn’t want to see, the scene that would erase everything he’d ever worked for…

_ Lashing out, broken glass, loud sobs, locked door. _

_ And this time - unlike the last iteration of the vision - he distinctly saw someone else at the scene, broken glass all around him, staring up at Togami with a horrified look in his eyes. _

Togami choked up a bit, invisible hands playing at his throat as they cut off his breath. “L-let me out,” he demanded, a bit louder now, accidentally stammering- an unusual occurrence for the poised boy. “Let me out.”

Kirigiri must’ve sensed that something had changed, because she stared at him with a newfound curiosity in her eyes. “Why so desperate?” she asked coolly, remaining in the doorway. “You’ll need to talk to him eventually, Togami.”

“No, I will not.”

Finally, Togami realized why he dreaded talking to Naegi so much. It wasn’t because of the fear of his hatred - as the Togami family heir, he had dealt with plenty of malice and ill intent in his life - or the innate longing for Naegi to not dislike him. No, no, it was deeper than that. The lucky student, he understood, was beginning to draw out a different side of him. Like pulling the plunger of a syringe, Naegi was extracting the emotions from where Togami kept them guarded deep inside of himself to protect himself, his future, and his legacy. After his ‘death’, the lucky student had uncapped that reservoir of feeling, which made the stale grief, the suppressed fury and heartbreak and overwhelming sadness, wash back. The tears, the memories, the sudden longing for his mother…

It was all Naegi’s fault, and Togami found that he did not like that at all.

“Talk to him.”

“ _ No. _ ”

_ Lashing out… _

“I don’t need to talk to him, Kirigiri.”

_ Broken glass… _

“It isn’t my responsibility to reassure him of anything.”

_ Loud sobs… _

“He has you and Asahina to help him, does he not?”

_ Locked door. _

“So. I will be going, now, with what I came for, and you will not stop me.”

Kirigiri didn’t.

-

“So he came in last night?!” Asahina asked again, still completely bewildered. “How did I not hear him? Or you? And why didn’t you wake me, I would’ve given him a piece of my mind-”

“That’s precisely why, Aoi,” Kirigiri said gently. “We didn’t need a confrontation.  _ Makoto  _ didn’t need a confrontation.”

“I guess…” Asahina pouted. “Still, though. What was he saying, even?”

“He was very adamant about not talking to him,” Kirigiri added. “He reacted pretty strongly to me mentioning Makoto possibly snapping, which was interesting.”   
“Snapping?”   
“Well, I hope it does not come to this, but I am worried about Makoto,” she said quietly. “He’s under a lot of pressure and stress from the situation, and with the added weight of needing to be the supportive and optimistic one for the group…” Her voice trailed off.

“Yeah, I get that,” Asahina replied faintly. Kirigiri studied her face, trying to read her expression.

“We’ll talk about that later,” she finally said, with a soft, concerned glance. “But right now, I don’t think Makoto needs the added pressure of thinking one of his-  _ friends _ \- hates him.” She hesitated before calling Togami Naegi’s friend, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the swimmer.

“So what do we do, then?”   
“I think we need to make them talk to each other, somehow,” Kirigiri said, her voice lacking its usual confidence. This was not her forte, subjects regarding emotion such as this, and she’d probably have to rely on Asahina pretty heavily to make sure all went smoothly. However, she was still going to try: she’d brought Naegi back from the dead after carrying out her plan, and now it was her job to make sure everyone stayed sane until they were able to escape.

“How, though?”

“Makoto will be easier to reason with than Togami, I think,” Kirigiri reasoned. “We can talk to him when he wakes up, hm?”

“‘M awake.”

The girls turned towards the bed, where Naegi was sitting up, his back propped up against the headboard. His eyes were tired and sad, and still red and puffy from crying so much throughout the night. Both Kirigiri and Asahina had been awakened at some point by muffled sobs, so they understood all too well why he looked so tired.

“You want m’ to talk to him… r-right?” he asked, voice laced with exhaustion. “Why?”   
“Have you been listening for a while, Makoto?” Kirigiri asked carefully. He shook his head, then cringed at the sudden dizzying motion.

“No. J-just that last thing you said.”

“We just want you to be happy, Makoto,” Asahina said, sitting down on the side of his bed. “We’re worried that this stuff with Togami is affecting you really negatively, so even though we don’t like him all that much, we think making up with him might make you happier.”

“Or just telling him off,” Kirigiri added. “Just not… whatever strange limbo you two are in right now. You just need to settle it.”

“Yeah, it’s weird with everything being all up in the air!”

Naegi hesitated, his eyes flicking between the two as he studied their expressions. He was, of course, skeptical about their desire for him to talk to the tall heir. In the last week, after his failed execution, he’d made more of an effort to befriend Togami, or at least try to understand him. After all, nothing brings underdeveloped relationships with unknown potential into the light like almost dying at Monokuma’s hands does. There was a strange, nonsensical allure that pulled Naegi to him, despite the barrage of criticism and snide remarks that always befell him during their sparse conversations. It didn’t make sense, and his attempts had always just ended up in tears and broken confidence.

So it was only natural for him to want to give up.

“Okay…” Naegi finally said, barely audible. “I’ll tell him… how I feel. Can’t win ‘em all, hm?” he joked through a grimace. Asahina smiled gently, squeezing his shoulder.

“Right. You take care of  _ you _ first, not others,” the swimmer reminded him. Kirigiri nodded her agreement from the other side of the room. “But first, you need to get better, okay?” she continued, dropping her hand to her side. “Take a few days to heal. Monokuma said that you should be better soon enough, right? We’ll ease you back into normal life.”

“Thank you, guys,” Naegi said, his voice thick with emotion. “It means a lot that… with everything g-going on… you two are still here…”

With those words, he drifted off to sleep again, his arms going limp at his side. Asahina and Kirigiri shared an unsurprised smirk.

It was almost five in the morning, after all.

“He didn’t strike me as a quitter,” Kirigiri whispered, careful not to wake the lucky student. 

Asahina smiled. “He isn’t,” she said simply. “There’s two routes he can take here, yeah? The harder one, that ends with a new friend, or the easier one, that lets everything stay the same.” She paused, meeting Kirigiri’s stunning lavender eyes. “All we can do is support him either way… but we both know which one he’ll take, right?”

“I think we do.” The corners of Kirigiri’s mouth turned up in a smile. “If anyone can get through to Togami, it’s our Makoto.”

“He is the ultimate lucky student, after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TAKE THIS AS PROOF THAT IM STILL ALIVE-  
> //  
> if you like this fic, please leave kudos and a comment! have a great day thanks for reading <3


	10. mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SJAFJKDSSJF IM ALIVE  
> -  
> *hands u chapter* here kids have some a n g s t

After two days of lying in bed, constantly accompanied by either Asahina, or Kirigiri, or at times, both, Naegi was finally well enough to help out in the investigations. He was no longer wracked with earth-shaking dizziness every time he moved his head, and the headaches had lessened to the point where they could be fully veiled by painkillers. With Asahina’s shoulder to support him, he had even walked around the room several times in the two days of recovery, not wanting to let his legs completely stop working in the short time they weren’t being used. And, of course, he hadn’t seen any of his other classmates - Hagakure, Fukawa - in that time, either, so he just assumed that they were keeping up with the investigation in his absence.

It goes without saying that he hadn’t seen Togami, either. The heir hadn’t attempted to visit him, and Naegi wasn’t all too upset about it. He had been rehearsing what he would say to the blonde once he was well enough to go about his business, and it was comforting to know that the mess would all be over soon enough. Within hours, those intrusive thoughts about their quarrel - which only worsened the headaches - would finally dissipate.

Naegi couldn’t wait.

Asahina was sprawled out in the chair on the far side of the room, reading something that Kirigiri had given her. She looked bored and exhausted, but upon seeing Naegi sit up, her eyes brightened. “Good morning, Makoto!” she chirped. “How’re you feeling?”

“Good, thanks.” Naegi replied. “I think I’ll be able to go to breakfast today, actually…”

“Really?” Asahina beamed at him. “That’s great to hear! I’ll, um, leave so you can get dressed, then,” she laughed. Her laugh was sweet and warm, and it comforted Naegi to know that she was so happy about his recovery. He was sure that Kirigiri would be equally thrilled to see him coming out of his room, for once.

He changed quickly, relieved that his head had stopped spinning shortly after he stood up. With a deep breath, he pulled his door open. “I’m ready,” he told Asahina, who had been leaning up against the wall with her eyes shut. “You okay?”   
“Oh, yeah,” she chuckled. “Just tired, I guess, but aren’t we all?” She looked at the clock hanging at the end of the hallway. “Hey, we aren’t even going to be late for breakfast!”

Naegi smiled at her, but the grin fell off his face when the door across the hallway swung open. As he had inferred, the heir stepped out, looking just as refined as he had on day one of their time at Hope’s Peak. His eyes flitted over to where Naegi and Asahina stood, and the lucky student could’ve sworn he detected a flash of surprise in Togami’s eyes. As quickly as he had seen them, he looked away, not even bothering to greet the two. Naegi heard Asahina grumble something under her breath, and from the look of dusdaun on her face, it wasn’t difficult to guess what she was saying.

“Okay, maybe not all of us are tired,” Asahina continued. “Guess who hasn’t spent a single second investigating in the last two days.”

“Really?” Naegi asked, bewildered that even Togami, the aloof and often rude heir, would do something so drastic. “It’s almost like he doesn’t want us to get out of here…”

Asahina nodded, scowling. “Yeah, right? It’s super annoying.” She puffed up her cheeks in an angry pout. “Especially after what some people have sacrificed to allow us to escape… it’s just…” Her voice trailed off, but Naegi could interpret the rest.  _ It’s a mockery of what Sakura gave up to not give this trial and investigation our all. To carry on her memory, we need to survive… to make her sacrifice worthwhile, we need to get out of here-! _

“We’ll escape,” Naegi reassured. “We don’t need his help, right? We can do this! We will absolutely beat the mastermind.”

“Yeah,” Asahina said, her usual cheeriness returning. “We totally will. Now,” she continued, studying Naegi’s face, “you ready?”

“Yep.”

Together, they walked into the dining hall.

“Makoto!” Hagakure exclaimed, a huge goofy grin on his face. “Glad to see you’re feelin’ better, man!” He clapped a hand on Naegi’s shoulder, making the lucky student cringe. Around the room, the other students were reacting to his sudden arrival as well, although none as excited as the clairvoyant.

“Makoto. Good to have you back,” Kirigiri said, a gentle smile on her face. She adjusted her glove, fidgeting. “Now that we’re all here… should we account for what we’ve learned so far?”

“Sounds good!” Hagakure grinned, flashing a thumbs-up. “I, uh, didn’t find much of anything, but…” His voice trailed off as he studied the faces of his classmates. “You guys can go on!”

One by one, each student recounted their discoveries from the past few days of investigating the school. The stakes were high, and although it wasn’t written on the faces of the ever-cheerful Asahina or the careless Hagakure, they could all feel it weighing in the air. The next time they were summoned to that deadly red door would be the last…

Naegi could hardly imagine it. After going through so much already to get to this point… after losing so many friends… there was still a chance that-

_ No. _ He shook his head slightly, banishing the words running through his head. He wouldn’t entertain the thought of a bad ending. They would reveal the mastermind… win their freedom… and discover the truth of the outside world, at long last.

With a gentle nudge from Kirigiri, Naegi snapped back to reality. Everyone had spoken - well, except for Togami, of course. The heir was sulking at another table, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. His posture and the sour look painted on his face made it clear that he did not intend to partake in the group discussion. Asahina stared pointedly at him before meeting Naegi’s eyes, a silent demand written in her gaze.  _ Go talk to him, Naegi… say what you need to say-! _

Kirigiri must have noticed the exchange, because she pressed her hands together and said, “That’s all for now. You all should rest. It has been a productive few days, and everyone needs time to themselves.”

“Rest? But we just woke up!” Hagakure exclaimed, surprised. Fukawa rolled her eyes scornfully.

“N-no, you idiot… Rest can b-be things other than j-just sleep…”

“Ah. My bad.”

Asahina smirked at Naegi with laughter in her eyes. She looked radiant, although tired, and something about her confident smile made the lucky student know that he could trust her. After all, his optimism and confidence in his friends were what had gotten him this far… Asahina was no exception to that. Her support had not only helped him recover, it created this opportunity for him, and he wasn’t about to waste that.

Naegi took a deep breath and walked over to where Togami sat, not meeting his eyes. “Togami,” Naegi said softly, under his breath. “Can we talk?”

“Absolutely not. I do not intend to waste my time with a loser like you.”

“I’m not trying to apologize, if that’s what you thought.”

“Obviously you aren’t. Stop stating what I already know.” Togami looked up and glared at the shorter boy standing in front of him. “Why are you here?”

“I-” Naegi started, looking around the room. Hagakure and Fukawa had already left, but Asahina and Kirigiri were still chatting softly near the main table. Occasionally, their eyes flitted up to watch their friend’s encounter with the aloof heir. Naegi cocked his head at them in a wordless plea, and the swimmer nodded. She grabbed the detective’s arm, smiling reassuringly at Naegi as she pulled Kirigiri out of the room.

Now, they were alone.

“I just wanted to say that I know I’m forgiving, and I know I put up with a lot, but… you’re making me really unhappy, and if you don’t want to change how you treat me, then maybe we shouldn’t be friends anymore?” Naegi said, his words a jumbled mess. He worried that if he talked slower, more comprehensively, he’d back out before he finished saying what he needed to say. Now, he bit his lip, silently studying Togami’s face as he patiently awaited his response.

“That was unnecessary for you to say. We were not friends in the first place,” the heir responded coldly. His words cut through Naegi’s like ice, reminiscent of how the latter cut through the words of his condemned classmates during the trials, but more… indifferent.

“W-what do you mean..?” Naegi asked quietly. “You said-”

“Everyone says things they don’t mean sometimes. It’s only human.” Togami said, using Naegi’s words from days ago to prove his point, a note of finality in his voice. He watched in silence as the lucky student stumbled backwards, tears springing to his eyes. He watched in silence as Naegi nodded once, slowly, an unfamiliar anger lit in his expression. And he watched in silence as his not-friend ran out of the cafeteria, one arm lifted to his face to soak up the streams of salty tears that ran down his face, the other propelling him to get away from Togami as quickly as he possibly could. From the other side of the door, Togami pictured Naegi falling into the arms of his real friends - people who treated him right - with broken sobs that he’d provoked.

He found that watching in silence became harder when you wanted to cry out, but couldn’t find the words.

-

The nightmares were worse than usual that night. Visions of his mother haunted him, less reassuring than the normal ones, for one sole reason: her face was painted with a look of stern, anguished anger, and her eyes reflected a deep feeling of frustration. Her agony was clear, marring her usually gentle face, and it drove Togami into the depths of emotions he hadn’t realized he could feel so acutely.

_ “Mother,” he choked out, “Please, what is wrong?” _

_ “You know very well what is wrong, Byakuya,” she responded, turning away from her son. The use of his full first name did not go unnoticed to Togami, and he swallowed down a despairing feeling as he lifted his head to look at her. Her short, normally vibrant blonde hair was dulled by the grey atmosphere that swirled in dense clouds around their heads. When Togami took a step forward, a faint  _ sploosh _ told him that they were standing in a shallow puddle, with seemingly no end. The grey mist mocked him as he continued to walk towards his mother, the starts of tears beginning to prick at the corners of his eyes. _

_ “If I have done anything to disappoint, please explain-” Togami started, but he was cut off by the sight of her turning around to face him. Although she, too, was cloaked in a dreary haze, her eyes still radiated the same sympathy that he remembered from his youth. There were different, more foreign, emotions in her eyes, though, and it was disconcerting to the boy who used to use her stability as his rock. _

_ “I’m not disappointed, ‘Kuya,” she said, more gently. “Just… a bit worried about the choices you’re making in your life.” She met his eyes, and in an instant, he realized what she was talking about. The moment was fleeting, however, since she spun around to face the abyss of swirling emptiness once more. “Did I ever tell you the story of how I came to be your mother?” _

_ “...No,” Togami lied. She nodded once, lacing her fingers behind her back. _

_ “Well, then. Now is a good of a time as ever,” his mother responded, a sad smile evident in her tone. As the story tumbled out of her mouth, painting imagery of vivid skies and sparkling bridges and flowers of the most vibrant hues, the scene around Togami changed too: the water beneath him, into a well-kept cobblestone road; the blackness of the abyss transforming into bustling buildings of all flavors. It was a tale of sacrifice, she explained, as she recounted the young Aurélie Desmarais’s first encounter with an older, esteemed businessman called Kijo Togami. He had realized her accomplishments as an intelligent, creative entrepreneur, and although she hadn’t thought much about having children before that point, she came to the decision that she would take him up on his offer. _

_ Of course, she hadn’t been aware of her unborn child’s future competition- if she had been, it might’ve been a more difficult decision. _

_ “Byakuya,” she said softly, when she cradled her newborn in her arms. “Byakuya Togami.” With those words uttered and the birth process complete, the men and women came in to whisk the child away for his first analysis as a possible Togami heir. The doctors were not happy. Neither was the mother. _

_ “‘Kuya,” she would call him, a fond nickname for her growing son. He was intelligent and mature, as Aurélie had expected - after all, he was the child of two prominent businesspeople, so expectations were high. Although the world viewed him as nothing but a Togami, Aurélie never saw him as anything but her son. She nurtured him, drawing out the gentleness and unabrasive kindness that Kijo tried equally as hard to stomp out. She loved him. Of course she did; he was her son, and she loved him. _

_ As he grew, so did her understanding of the future to come. Naturally, she tried to halt the path that he was walking; he was her son, and the world was trying to steal him away. Her life had come to a standstill after birthing her son, because although Aurélie was a woman of many talents - a woman who would not struggle to balance a work life and a home life - the Togami family rules decreed that the mothers of the children must be unknown to the public, so she had to keep her association with Byakuya under wraps. She lived most of her days in one of the many Togami households, playing with her son in his room in between bouts of his already-rigorous training and study. She could see its effect on him, and it wasn’t at all positive. He was receding into himself and putting up a front of cocky confidence, a front that hurt Aurélie to the core: after all, he was killing her son, and replacing him with a cold individual who she didn’t know at all. _

_ “‘Kuya,” she would say, trying her best to appear happy. “How were your studies today?” _

_ “They were fine, Mother. I must go work now,” he would respond, already much too formal at a young age. The softness and sweetness was replaced with a bitter workaholic, motivated only by the prospect of a future as the Togami heir. _

_ So Byakuya worked, and Aurélie watched from the sidelines. _

_ And then, the day for her to leave the household came, and as she said her last goodbyes to her son, she saw her ‘Kuya peek through Byakuya’s mask, and it brought her the greatest joy and the greatest sorrow, for the boy that she had sacrificed her entire life to bring into the world was good as dead, because he refused to let anyone see who he really was. _

_ “...And that’s the whole story,” she said quietly. “Do you understand, now? Why I’m-” she spread her hands helplessly- “frustrated?” _

_ Togami could only nod silently. What else was there to say…? _

_ By receding into himself, he had rendered his mother’s sacrifice worthless. By pushing Naegi away, he had proven to her one last time that he was Byakuya Togami, not her son that she would call ‘Kuya’ as she brushed his hair. Because, of course, pushing away Naegi felt a whole lot like pushing away his mother. And it  _ hurt _ , it ate away at him, to the point where he could not take it any longer. _

_ Aurélie placed a hand on his shoulder, and his tears fell faster, face contorted in stale grief. “‘Kuya, you know what you should do, right? What you… want to do?” _

_ Togami shook his head, and mumbled a barely audible string of words. When he reached his hand up to push his mother’s away, he was met with only the grey haze of a saddening dream; again, Togami was alone, the dried tear tracks on his face the only evidence of the encounter. His dreams were blissfully quiet for the rest of the night, for his mother had heard the words he whispered after her final question: _

_ “Leave me alone…please.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO I AM BACK WITH SOME ANGSTY BYAKUYA BEING AN IDIOT !! YOUR FAVORITE!!  
> -  
> the naegami is coming. I PROMISE. we don't get much from canon so I need to take this slowly to keep the characters acting accurately! this current angsty storyline will cap off in a chapter or two and then we shall Move On. Buckle your seatbelts, my friends  
> -  
> thank you for 250 kudos and 2000+ hits lol, you guys are the best *pats you on the head*  
> -  
> long chapter to make up for being absent for forever~ if you liked, please leave kudos and a comment! <3


	11. mirror, mirror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lolz another longer chapter cuz im quirky like that

_ When he looked in the mirror that morning, it was not Byakuya Togami that looked back at him. _

_ Instead, the face of his worst nightmare was reflected in that sparkling silver: the face of a man who had shaped him into who he was today, a man who ripped him away from his mother- a man who was both everything he wanted to become, and everything he most despised. _

_ No, it wasn’t Byakuya’s face in the mirror. When Togami blinked, the eyes of his father blinked back at him. And when he grimaced, anger clouding his vision, the familiar sight of Kijo Togami’s rage was written in the silver reflection. The rings under his eyes were more evident than they had been merely hours ago, and his cheeks were still textured with the remnants of long-dried tears. He had never seen his father in such a disheveled, weakened state. But the set of his eyes, the stern shaping of his jawline, the cold, indifferent glint of his harsh gaze: that was all Kijo. _

_ Kijo, who had pushed Aurélie away every single day until she had to leave… _

_ And Byakuya, who had done the same thing within the dreary world of his dream. (LEAVE ME ALONE) _

_ “A-ah-” he choked, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight. Everything he had worked toward, every sacrifice, was so that he could be like his father: the powerful head of the Togami family. But after hearing that story from his mother’s lips (a mere memory of the first time she had told it to him, much too long ago to properly recall), he was unable to see Kijo in the same heralded light.  _

_ The mirror was unbearable. _

_ The sight mocked him, twisting his father’s face to parrot his own look of horrified disgust. _

_ UNBEARABLE-!  _

_ As he stared on, it became an even crueller image that would stay ingrained in Togami’s memory for a long while, and with the sadistic grin of his father in the mirror watching him with heartless glee (was that his face or Kijo's? was he the one smiling like that, or did the mirror have a mind of its own), something inside him finally… _

_ snapped. _

_ The vision had been an omen of the future after all, he thought ruefully, pressing his back up against the wall and squeezing his eyes shut. As Togami shifted his weight, his shoes crunched on one of the many shards of mirror that now littered the bathroom floor. _

_ - _

_ - _

_ He was absent from breakfast, and although Naegi was trying his damndest to not care, it wasn’t really working. _

Soft, hesitant murders soaked into the air in the dining hall, each student wondering towards the heir’s absence.

_ “Finally got tired of us?” _

_ “Sick, maybe?” _

_ “He overslept, perhaps?” _

Of course, the obvious worry - which weighed on all of their minds, despite their personal feelings towards Togami - went unspoken. After all, forming those words would make them all the more real, and that was not something that anybody wanted. Instead, those that cared focused on more hopeful possibilities that didn’t result in another body, another trial, and another execution of someone they cared for.

Asahina and Kirigiri exchanged a weighted glance that Naegi couldn’t quite read. They had seemed to develop a language of their own, and it baffled Naegi that so many words and concepts could be spoken without words. A raise of Kirigiri’s eyebrows made Asahina giggle, and a smile warmed the lucky boy’s face.  _ Of course he’s okay, _ he thought, dissolving the worry that had sunk to the pit of his stomach.  _ No one here would kill… _

“Someone should check on him,” Asahina said finally, breaking the silence. Although she harbored no positive opinions of the boy - that much was clear from her expression of disdain - she still looked out for everyone. That was something that Naegi - and Kirigiri, too, which was evident in her alight eyes - admired about the swimmer. She was met with nods from all around, and Fukawa stood up abruptly.

“I’ll d-do it,” she offered, a scarily wide grin transforming her face. “I’d b-be happy to… check on M-master… in his room…” she continued, insinuating something unspoken that her classmates quickly and readily shut down.

“Not Fukawa,” Kirigiri said in confirmation. “Who wants to go?”

Radio silence filled the room.  _ Of course. Who would want to intrude on Togami’s quarters when he’s possibly in less than a stable state? No one in their right mind, that’s who. _

“Draw straws?” Asahina offered, shrugging. “Worked last time.”

“Fine by me,” Hagakure responded. One by one, the other three students also agreed, and they all entered their names - and when Fukawa’s back was turned, Asahina yanked her name out of the jar and slipped it into her pocket, unnoticed by the writer.

After an overly dramatic count of three - likely to break the building tension stemming from the room - the swimmer reached into the container and pulled out one of the slips of paper, unfolding it quickly. “Um…” she mumbled awkwardly, making wide eyes at Kirigiri, who responded with a simple,  _ “Oh.” _ “I’m going to pick again,” Asahina said, not making eye contact with Naegi.

“Everything okay, Aoi?” Hagakure asked, cocking his head in confusion. “Is somethin’ wrong? Just read the name, already!”

“...I’m going to pick again. For… reasons,” Asahina clarified. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Hey, no, I wanna know who you picked-!”   
“It was me, I assume,” Naegi said, stepping forward. “Right, Aoi?”

“Hmph… yeah.”

“It’s alright. I’ll go. It isn’t fair if I don’t, right? I was picked, fair and square. It’s alright,” he rambled, backtracking and repeating himself several times over in his haste to respond. He  _ didn’t _ want to go, he didn’t want to see Togami again after the events of the previous day, and he felt a strong stab of gratitude for Asahina after her defending him - but, the gut feeling said that he had to go, so he did. “I’ll go,” he repeated. “Be back in a few minutes.”

“You sure, Makoto?” Kirigiri inquired, a hint of worry in her tone. She was understandably concerned - after all, she was one of the two who had seen his state after his conversation with Togami the day before, and he hadn’t been a pretty sight to be seen. “I’ll go, or Aoi wi-”

“No. Thank you, Kyoko, but it’s okay,” Naegi said, and that was that.

His walk to Togami’s room was slow, since although he knew that he needed to go ( _ LASHING OUT _ ), he sure as hell didn’t  _ want _ to. Every echoing step upon the stiff, polished tiled floor signified one step closer to coming in contact with the boy who had pushed him away and belittled him one too many times, the boy who had repeatedly verbally harassed him almost to the point of breaking- the boy who was almost a friend, and then definitely a friend, and suddenly nothing at all but memories.

Eventually, finally, both too soon and far,  _ far _ too late, Naegi reached the door ( _ LOCKED DOOR _ ), and when he tried the handle after knocking several times, it was locked.  _ Unsurprising, since an abundance of caution is recommended for when one is in a killing game, but a nuisance still. _ “Monokuma?” Naegi asked, and the bear was there.

“Ye~s? Am I needed?” he trilled. “Shouldn’t you idiots be investigating, upupupu?”

“Can you unlock this door for me?”

“Ooooh! So you can commit murder? Finally!” the bear exclaimed with a content sigh. “I was getting so~ bored-!”

“No, of course not!” Naegi interjected. “Just… unlock it, please?”   
Monokuma huffed and whined, but eventually, he did what he was told. “No thank you?” he pouted, but Naegi was already stepping hesitantly into Togami’s room, pulling the door shut behind him.

The sight - rather, the  _ sounds _ \- that greeted him were very unexpected ( _ LOUD SOBS _ ), and Naegi found himself glued to the ground, unsure of where to go or what to say. “Togami?” he called out hesitantly, louder than the muffled sounds of tears coming from the attached bathroom. “Are you okay?”

There was no response, so Naegi trod farther into the room. His room was exactly as the lucky student remembered it to be - neat and tidy, and furnished with high-end furniture and belongings that spoke to the wealth and personality of the room’s resident. There was no trace of the missing boy, though, so Naegi assumed his assumption that Togami was in his bathroom was correct.

“Um…” he said, knocking on the bathroom door. “...Togami? Are you in there?”

The sobs didn’t quiet, from the other side of the door. Naegi sighed. His considerate side who cared about everyone was really getting the better of him, because although he  _ wanted _ to just leave - he was accounted for, after all, so they had nothing to worry about - something kept him rooted to that spot, unable to move away from the door. “Togami, can I come in?”

_ No response, like he expected. _ With a deep, shaky breath, Naegi pushed the bathroom door open ( _ BROKEN GLASS _ ), and was met with… well, a sight he had never expected to see.

The mirror was shattered, and the shards were scattered haphazardly all over the floor. Some clung to Togami’s shoes and the hems of his pant legs, but most just littered the floor, exploded from a violent force to the tall silver. And, leaned up against the wall opposite the door, the blonde heir was curled into a pathetic ball, tears coursing down his face. It was totally and completely out of character for him to be so distraught, and although Naegi was naturally inclined to step in, to do something, all he could do was watch. “Togami?” he said hesitantly. “What’s wrong?”

“ _ NO _ .” Togami’s voice was laced with fury. “NOT you,” he choked. “Leave me ALONE.”

“I’m not leaving you like this,” Naegi said firmly. “What happened?”

“Go away,” Togami scowled, seemingly more lucid. “You have no need to be here.”

“Togami, please talk to me!” Naegi bit his lip, trying to decide what to do. He didn’t like seeing Togami like this, and wanted to help, but that wouldn’t be possible without the heir’s cooperation. And it wasn’t like he could just get someone else to help, because Togami… wasn’t close with anyone in the school.

Not even Naegi, apparently…

“Did I stutter?” Togami asked crossly, trying to disguise the tears that stained his cheeks with a glower. “ _ I don’t want you here _ . I don’t need your help.”

Naegi studied his face carefully. Although he wasn’t the most skilled in reading facial expressions, the lucky student could tell that Togami was in great distress. His damp eyes flitted away from meeting Naegi’s, an unusual occurrence for the usually headstrong, confident heir. Tear tracks were evidently visible on his face, and dark purple rings hung under his blue eyes in a vibrant contrast. It was clear that something had happened during the night, but Naegi couldn’t quite draw a conclusion as to what.

He bent down and started wordlessly picking up the shards of glass, which sparked no reaction from Togami. Luckily, there was an empty metal trash can under the sink, and Naegi was able to empty handfuls of glass into it. The glass cut into his hands and left tiny droplets of blood dotting his hands, but he paid it no mind. He figured that it was a gesture of his making himself available to help out with whatever Togami was going through, but not too overly… well, friendly. Occasionally he snuck a glance at the heir, who was still leaned up against the cold tile wall, but he still hadn’t reacted to Naegi’s gesture of good will.

Finally, after the floor was bare of glass, he spoke. “You’re making it worse, Naegi,” Togami said, without the usual bite to his tone. “Haven’t I pushed you away enough? It’s because I  _ don’t want you around _ . So  _ go away _ .”

“I’m not leaving this time.”

“There is nothing holding you back from leaving right now, idiot. Just leave. You have absolutely no reason to stay.” He sighed. “You’re more brain-dead than I thought.”

“You’re right, I guess,” Naegi said. “Since apparently we were never friends, I should have no reason to be here right now. But, Togami…” He met his eyes. “Do you really want me to leave?”

“Do I say things I don’t mean?”   
“You’re dodging the question.”

“Yes.” His voice was nearly inaudible, but it did not lack conviction. “Leave me alone, Naegi. Don’t barge into my room again.”

The lucky student stood and approached the bathroom door, wordlessly ready to leave. At the last second, he turned around. “Why do you always force yourself to be alone?” Naegi asked, sullen. “I’ve tried… countless times… to be your friend, because I know that there’s a part of yourself that you’re hiding, and… I want to meet _that_ Togami. But every time, you push me away… say you want me to leave you alone. And now, you’re like this, and I don’t know what happened or if it’s my fault, and I want to apologize but I know that I have _nothing_ to apologize for because all I’ve been doing is trying my best.” His voice broke on the last words, but if Togami noticed, he didn’t point it out. “I don’t want you to be hurt,” Naegi mumbled. “Because even if we were never friends, I still care about you.”

“That’s idiotic,” Togami muttered. “Are all commoners as stupid as you?”

“Maybe, but at least us commoners know how to  _ care about people _ .”

“Are you accusing me of not caring for anyone?”

“Maybe that’s  _ exactly _ what I’m saying. I mean, you’re mean to  _ everyone _ ,” Naegi burst. He regretted the words instantly, but they were already spoken. Togami, in response, merely rolled his eyes.

“It’s just like you to say something so witless,” he retorted. “I didn’t need your help cleaning up the glass, and I don’t need your help now. For the last time, I command you to leave my presence.”

“You really don’t grow up, do you, Togami?”

Naegi spun around to face the source of the voice. Kirigiri and Asahina stood in the bathroom door frame, looking down at Togami. “You were taking a while, so we came to come check on you,” Asahina explained to Naegi. “Now I’m kinda glad we did.”

“Our Makoto is too kind to put you in your place,” Kirigiri added.

“Yeah! But you’re a heartless meanie that keeps hurting our friend over and over, and we’re here to take him back.” She gestured around the room, pointing out the broken mirror. “I don’t know what happened here, and I don’t really care, because from day one of Makoto trying to be your friend, you haven’t changed a bit, Togami. You’re still the same immature rude guy that we met on the day we all woke up here.” She turned to Naegi with a soft smile. “C’mon, Makoto. Let’s get out of here.”

“You have  _ no  _ right to come in here and talk to me like that-!” Togami argued, anger transforming his face. “I have no reason to ‘change’, because I don’t have any flaws to speak of. I am the Togami heir, and that speaks for itself.”

“The state of this bathroom says otherwise,” Kirigiri pointed out. “But, oh well. There’s no use in trying to help a lost cause. Makoto, are you ready to go?”

“...Yeah,” Naegi said quietly, with one last glance to Togami. “Let’s go.”

_ “Byakuya,”  _ a familiar voice whispered, once he was, at last, alone.

“Mother?” he choked. “You… came back…?”

_ “Of course.”  _ Her voice was sweet and melodic, and carried the hint of a sad smile. “ _ You’re troubled because you saw him in yourself, right?”  _ After Togami nodded tersely, she continued. “ _ There’s a simple solution to that, ‘Kuya.” _

“Which is?”

_ “Be your own person. Reject the parts of your mask that are mimicking him. Stop imitating him.” _

“And just how am I supposed to do that?”

_ “I think you already know, my son.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the angst will resolve soon :,,) our little boy is growing up  
> //  
> if you liked this chapter, I encourage you to leave kudos/comment, it really helps motivate me to keep updating! also, since my posting is a bit sporadic, you should subscribe to this story so you never miss an update :>  
> //  
> thanks for reading!


	12. nocturne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> song that togami plays: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=271&v=T7k2pmKUXxI&feature=emb_title  
> //  
> PLEASE LISTEN THIS VIOLINIST IS SO TALENTED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's 1 am but i got y'all some food, enjoy <3

“I… already know?”

“You’re wasting your time, ‘Kuya,” she said gently, and then she was gone, and something in Togami’s gut told him that he needed to act  _ now _ or he wouldn’t ever. He stood abruptly, staggering as the blood rushed to his head, and clutching at his forehead to dispel the sudden headache. “ _ Tch _ ,” he grimaced as he threw the bathroom door open, leaving behind the broken mirror that still sparked memories that he’d rather not dredge up again.

The shards of glass that still clung to his shoes  _ crunch _ ed as he staggered into his bedroom, digging into the soles of his shoes and tearing up tiny strings from the carpet. Like he’d assumed, the three had not lingered behind in the room; a part of Togami wished they had, because it would be easier that way- less time to rethink what he was about to do.

But, alas, they had escaped into the hallway, so he would follow in their footsteps and do the same.

Togami was barely even  _ thinking _ as he walked briskly down the red-carpeted walkway, scanning the rooms for any sign of the boy he was searching for, the boy who, he finally realized, warranted an apology. He hardly allowed himself to ponder, to reconsider, because the velocity of the thoughts spinning through his head was enough to incapacitate him, render him incapable of making this one final move to remedy all the pain he’d caused.

“Naegi, where are you,” he muttered under his breath as his eyes swept Hope’s Peak’s many hallways, all lit with clashing vibrant hues that only added to the tense atmosphere that the school already possessed. And then, as he rounded the corner to face the stairwell, there they were: Asahina, Kirigiri, and Naegi, chatting quietly as they ascended the steep white staircase.

“Naegi,” Togami called out, barely giving himself a second to catch his breath before speaking. “I need to- May I talk with you a second?”

“Um…” Naegi’s eyes flitted between his companions and the heir, a silent, pleading question in his eyes that even Togami could read, clear as day. Asahina and Kirigiri had turned to face the newcomer, too, and stared him down with two sets of calculating eyes. It was clear that they had no intention of letting Naegi be alone with him ever again, and behind his eyes, Togami saw a memory of people flinching away from contact with Kijo. His father’s cold aura always exuded from him and it drove others away; the ones who were able to brave that iciness were then shot down by the man’s cruel words and sadistic pleasures. In that moment, the young heir realized yet another way that Kijo had left his mark on him, and he gritted his teeth with a scowl.

“I am not going to harm him,” he spat, wishing he didn’t even need to clarify his intentions. “Come on, Naegi,” he said, “please?”

Naegi’s jaw all but dropped at Togami’s use of that word, ‘please’, which no one in the school had ever heard uttered from his lips in a non-belittling manner, and the sudden change in his demeanor almost made the lucky student want to run away, but he stayed rooted to the ground in wait. “What do you want?” he asked carefully. “Was I…” He paused, considering. “...not clear enough?” the boy finished awkwardly, pressing a finger to his cheek in embarrassment. “I mean, even if I wasn’t,  _ you _ were pretty obvious back there of what you thought of me, Togami.”

Asahina nodded. “Yeah, man, what’s your problem? I thought we came to an agreement… or something,” she said, her face somewhere between a pout and a scowl. Kirigiri’s mouth quirked in silent agreement.

Togami grimaced at the realization that Naegi was never going to come with him, not without some evidence, some proof that things had changed- or, at least, something to shock him enough so that he’d be more easy to convince. The heir took a breath, crossing his arms in front of him like he always did. “ _ Makoto _ ,” he said firmly. “Please come with me. I wish to speak with you.”

“I- uh-” Naegi stammered, his face turning beet red. “Huh? Wha-” he continued, seemingly playing an endless loop of staggered syllables. “That’s-”

“Hey, what the heck has gotten into you, Togami?” Asahina demanded, anger clouding her face. “You have no right to call him that! You aren’t his  _ friend _ , you’ve made  _ that _ abundantly clear!”   
Togami merely blinked at her, a frown on his face, and turned to Naegi, who was still malfunctioning. “Naegi. Come with me?” A part of him just wanted to reach out and grab the lucky student’s arm - drag him along, force him to hear out his apology - but as he envisioned himself going through with that plan, he realized that that’s what Kijo would do, so he decided against it. “Please,” he added, one last time.

“Ah- um- okay,” Naegi said, still in shock. His ears were beginning to lose their strawberry-red hue, though, and Togami saw sense flicker back into his eyes. “Um… I’m really confused and all, but… I’ll give him one more chance,” he explained, addressing Asahina and Kirigiri. “What’s the worst that could happen, right?” Naegi said, and in his sad smile Togami could see a reflection of all the hurt he had already inflicted on him.

“That’s what you really want?” Asahina asked dubiously. When Naegi nodded, she continued. “Alright… we trust you, Makoto, and even though we don’t trust him-” she jutted a finger at Togami- “we know you’re your own person and you make your decisions. So… good luck.”

Kirigiri briefly voiced her agreement, and that was that.

“What was that?” Naegi hissed once they were alone, his voice trembling. “You can’t just… call me by my first name… out of the blue like that- and besides,” he said, his eyes alight with confusion and nerves, “you said it yourself that we aren’t friends. So why would you do that?”

“To convince you to come along with me,” Togami replied shortly. “It’s that simple. Follow me,” he said, and Naegi did, putting his blind trust in the heir one, final time. As they walked, he saw Naegi open and close his mouth on several occasions - as if he wanted to speak, but no words could escape. He found that he sympathized greatly.   
Wordlessly, Togami unlocked the door to his room, pushing it open and beckoning an ever-perplexed Naegi inside. “Sit,” he said, gesturing to the chair, and Naegi sat, a dubious expression on his face.

“What is i-“ Naegi started, but Togami silenced him with a harsh glare.

“Shut your mouth and listen,” he said shortly, unlatching his violin case and pulling out the instrument gently, caressing the shiny wood that had always brought him escape, pleading it to give him one more song, the best yet, one that would carry all the words he needed to say without a single sentence spoken.  _ Please, _ Togami thought.  _ Let him understand… _

The song was one he had chosen after a brief consideration before hunting down the smaller boy: Nocturne No.20 in C# Minor, a piece composed by Chopin for solo piano but had since been transposed for the violin. The piece carried strong emotional pull on its repetitive melody, and he figured it might be a good fit for all the stories he wished to convey through the music.

After all, the violin had always been his best way of communicating with Naegi, so who’s to say this time wouldn’t be any different?

With a breath, he drew his bow to the strings, pulling it across slowly to play the starting note: a note in a higher key than the other pieces he had played for the boy, but still within a fairly manageable range. The music started slow, introducing the gentle melody that would repeat several times throughout the song: lower notes giving way to higher, which in turn spiraled into a beautiful tremolo that brought the notes higher and higher until they dropped back down again.

With every quavering pull of the bow, every vibrating string, Togami tried to immerse himself in the memories- something he had not willingly done in many years. He let himself dive deeper than he had before, the gentle sounds of the violin lacing themselves around his ankles and carrying him to places he had only been in a dream, when he was someone else entirely, living a different life. His mother was there, and they were happy, since they had not yet learned of the cruelty that the legacy of the great Togami family would ensnare them in. 

As the song fell as tears from his eyes, Togami was blessed with visions of stunningly clear water lapping at his feet, of his mother in a white sundress calling at him from the sand, warmed by the sun. The melody lifted him up and into a vibrant field of senses: the scent of fresh-baked bread from a bakery in Paris, the sound of a waterfall’s roar in a silent grove, the way that wildflowers sparkled with dew in the early morning light.  _ She used to put those in her hair,  _ Togami remembered.  _ How could I forget? _

And as the song’s melody turned wary and guarded, the memories, too, turned bitter. The notes were simultaneously guarded and hugely vulnerable, and as they ripped open Togami’s grief for all the world to see, the song also provided a haven, a place to retreat, since if the song never stopped he would never have to confront Naegi’s reaction. The notes skipped like children and danced around each other with soft footsteps, letting Togami relish in the happier tune before diving down into lower octaves, more emotional, the climax of the piece. Behind his tightly shut eyes he saw his mother’s hastily hidden sobs in awkward moments of the day, waved off as mere tears from cutting onions or dust in her eye. He saw her leaving, saw the black car driving away, saw Pennyworth’s face trying to deal with the young heir’s devastation at being ripped away from his mother far too early-

Each note was played with intent, and each note carried its own chapter of the story that was Togami Byakuya, a story that was only now being told after seventeen years of writing.

And all too soon, the final note had been drawn, and the song was over.

“That’s all,” Togami said slowly, to ensure his voice stayed steady despite the rivers of tears torrenting his cheeks. “You can go.”

“No,” Naegi responded, standing up. He walked over to the heir until he was directly in front of him, barely a foot away. From this close up, Togami could all the more clearly see the tears running down Naegi’s face, too.  _ Good, _ he thought.  _ The music reached him. _ Naegi reached up and took a firm hold of Togami’s sleeve.

“W-what do you think you’re doing?!” Togami sputtered, nearly falling backwards in his attempt to recoil.

“Affection,” Naegi said simply. “I understand, now. That song…” His eyes welled up again, silent tears dripping down his face and gathering in larger drops on his chin. He looked up at Togami with deep sympathy in his eyes. “It said everything it needed to,” he finished, blinking away tears. “Hey, you okay?” Naegi asked, assumedly noticing that Togami was still crying.

“Yes,” the heir responded, eyes darting uncertainly from Naegi’s eyes to the placement of his hand on his right arm. His touch was reassuring, almost oddly so, although Togami pinned that on Naegi’s resemblance to his mother. Hesitantly, in a clean, slow motion, Togami raised his left hand to brush against the lucky student’s face, absentmindedly wiping away some of the wetness. He dropped it back to his side almost immediately, but the brief touch was enough to capture Naegi’s attention.

“Byakuya?” he said softly. “Are you…”

“I have one more thing to say to you, Naegi,” Togami interjected, trying to ignore how his name sounded in Naegi’s voice: not slurred by illness or stuttering from injury, just  _ him _ , consciously choosing to call him by his first name rather than his last. “I’m… sorry. For…” His voice trailed off, unused to putting words and phrases and feelings into coherent sentences by means of apology. He didn’t know how to formulate the right words, how to properly express what he was feeling, how to-

“I know,” Naegi murmured, gracing him with a smile of reassurance. “Thank you.”

“Well, then,” Togami said firmly, unnaturally loud, stepping backwards in an exaggerated manner and turning his back to the lucky student. “That’s all I’ll be needing from you right now. Good day, Naegi.”

“Makoto,” Naegi corrected, a smile alight in his eyes. “See you, Byakuya.”

Even after Naegi left him in his room, Togami realized that, for the first time since his mother left, he no longer felt alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OUR BOY S ! ITS HAPPENI N G AAA AA A  
> //  
> if u liked this chp please leave kudos/comment it really helps motivate me <3  
> //  
> thank you for reading have a fantabulous day


	13. ultimatum

“You’ve got to sleep more, Makoto, how many times do I have to tell you that?”

“Sorry, Aoi…” Naegi rubbed his eyes.  _ That was the third night in a row with less than three hours of sleep, and it was finally catching up to him.  _ “I’ll sleep when we’re out of here, I guess.”

“If you say so.” She frowned, meeting Kirigiri’s eyes in a prolonged worried gaze. “Hey, what ended up happening with Togami yesterday?”

Naegi smiled, recounting the story to his increasingly baffled friends. “So, yeah,” he finished, after a long explanation. “It was… really nice.”

“So you’re telling me he actually  _ apologized?” _ Asahina demanded for the umpteenth time, crossing her arms with a pout. “There’s no way!”   
“He did,” Naegi confirmed, grinning slightly. “Trust me, I was surprised too. But you remember what I said about him hiding part of himself, a while back?”   
“Yes,” Kirigiri replied. “What about it?”   
“Well, I think I’ve finally gotten through to him.”

“And?” the detective prompted. “Was it all… worth it?”

“Was it worth it, hm,” Naegi repeated, staring off into the empty space behind his two friends. It wasn’t difficult to remember all of the negativity that Togami had brought into his life since their time at Hope’s Peak had begun. All of the insults and slanders had collected on his shoulders, almost starting to weigh the lucky student down with the heaviness of his words. What took more effort to recall were the better memories: the sound of the violin, capturing his attention every time it sang its song; the sound of whispered apologies that rang clear and true; hearing his first name in Togami’s voice for the second time (the first had been, well, confusing). Naegi pondered upon the fact that he, someone who declared himself to be as average as humanly possible, could be the one to break through the heir’s masked exterior. It was peculiar, and quite surprising, although it didn’t go unappreciated. As someone who drew a significant amount of worth from others’ opinions towards him, Naegi found that the thought of Togami - a man of infamously high standards - finding value in him was quite comforting, indeed.  _ Was it worth it..? _

“Yeah,” he finally responded. “Definitely.”

“We’re glad,” Asahina said, smiling warmly. “I’m glad he stopped being an idiot.”

Naegi chuckled. “I am too.” He glanced fleetingly at the clock. “Actually, I was meaning to go talk to him…” he mumbled.

“Oh? About wh-“ Asahina began, but she was cut off by Kirigiri pressing a finger to her lips, silencing her.

“Good luck,” the detective said instead, smiling gently at Naegi. “Please get some sleep afterwards, Makoto.”

“Yeah, take a nap or something!” Aoi added.

Naegi nodded, laughing quietly. With one last awkward wave, he stood, making his way towards the door hurriedly.  _ They had much to discuss. _

-

Togami was knocked out of his thoughts by the sound of a rapping at his bedroom door. “Who is it?” he called, somewhat pointlessly - the room was soundproof, after all. He straightened his tie, ran a hand through his hair, and swung the door open. “Oh. Good morning, Nae- M-Makoto.”

“Hey… Byakuya,” Naegi breathed, still trying out the sound of his name, gauging if it felt right ( _ it did _ ). “I, um, thought we might talk a bit?”

“What do we have to talk about?” Togami glared down at him, although he stepped aside and gestured for the lucky student to enter.  _ It almost sounded wrong,  _ he thought,  _ to hear my name aloud.  _ He swallowed, stifling a foreign feeling rising in his chest.  _ Almost. _

“I just… didn’t a lot happen yesterday?” Naegi asked, stifling a yawn. “I was just wondering if you wanted to talk about anything, becau-”

“Don’t make a habit of showing up uninvited,” Togami interrupted, grumbling as he led Naegi into his room. “I was not expecting company.” He sighed, looking away. “I suppose that since you are already here, you can stay.” He pushed the door closed behind them and sat down in that old antique chair.

“Thanks. So, um-”

The crackling sound of speaker static filled the room, shutting up Naegi before he was able to speak. His eyes widened and he stared at the monitor screen.  _ What’s going on…? _

“Go~od morning, everybody!” Monokuma trilled, materializing on the display. “Hope you’re all ready for the final showdown, because the trial doors will open in 72 hours exactly!” A timer appeared in the corner of the screen:  _ 72:00:00, 71:59:59, 71:59:58… _

“Three days,” Togami muttered. Across the room, Naegi shuddered, convulsing from the uncontrollable shivers running down his spine. “N- Makoto…?”

“I…” Naegi stumbled backwards, backing against the wall to hold himself up. His face was pale and his cheeks flamed, and his mouth was moving slightly to form barely audible whispers:  _ “No, no, no, no, no… _ ”

“What’s come over you all of a sudden?” Togami demanded, crossing his arms. He distantly noted Monokuma disconnecting from the monitor. The bear was replaced on the screen by a blown-up dilation of the timer, still ticking down:  _ 71:58:07, 71:58:06, 71:58:05… _

“I… it’s  _ not enough time _ ,” Naegi choked. “We’re… I can’t… there’s not enough time,” he repeated, sinking down to the floor, his back pressed against the wall. “I should’ve seen this coming, we’ve had plenty of time, but-”

“We won’t lose.” Togami fixed him with a striking gaze. “Calm down.”

“I can’t just-  _ ah _ , why is this room so hot all of a sudden- calm down!” he responded, in a tone that was almost angry. He tugged his blazer off, then his hoodie, leaving him in a simple white shirt and his signature black jeans.

“Should I get Asahina…?” Togami asked uncertainly, taking a hesitant step towards Naegi. “I don’t-”

Naegi took a deep breath, staring at the floor. “No, it’s fine.” He paused. “Can you, um, come here?” he requested, voice trembling. Togami blinked at him, pausing for a beat, and then nodded slowly.

“Like this?” he asked, sitting down next to the wall, a few paces away from Naegi. He nodded.

“Yeah,” the lucky student said quietly, with a faint smile. “Thanks. I just… need you there.”

“…Okay,” Togami replied, stifling the urge to point out that he really had nothing to be upset about. He absentmindedly took Naegi’s jackets and folded them, setting them aside on the chair. “Um… are you okay?”

“Scared,” Naegi admitted. “There’s just… it’s so much, and… even if we do expose the mastermind, how do we know what’s waiting for us outside? It could be…” He sighed, grimacing. “Sorry.”

“There’s no reason for you to apologize. Save your breath,” Togami asserted. “And, Makoto, you have admitted it yourself that what sets you apart is your optimism. Do not relinquish that hope now, when it matters most.”

“Thanks, T- Byakuya. It’s just hard sometimes, you know? To be positive all the time. It can be...draining.”

“Then don’t.” Togami shrugged. “Do not force yourself to be someone you are not for the sake of others, especially if it’s to your detriment. There is no need. That’s just foolish.”

“But everyone is depending on me…”

“Everyone is depending on everyone,” Togami said. “As much as I despise the thought of collaborating with these dimwits, it’s the only option I have. We are a team, whether we like it or not. You may be acting as our leader, but we would survive without you regardless. So stop wasting time worrying about our classmates, and focus on yourself.” He tore his eyes from Naegi’s to face the opposite wall. “Regardless, we are all better off with you on our side,” he continued. “It’s only logical that you will be more useful to me stable, so try to calm down.”

“I never expected that getting called useless would feel so relieving.” Naegi forced a smile. “Thank you… Byakuya.” He yawned. “Wow, I’m exhausted. I think I’ve slept for, like, six hours in the last three days.”

“Why would you do that? Sleep is important. It’s idiotic to not prioritize it.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just…” Naegi raked a hand through his hair, which was getting a bit too long for his liking. “I’ve been staying up to analyze some of the evidence we’ve collected. It’s just… not clicking, and now we have this three day ultimatum, and…  _ god _ , it’s cold, and I’m so tired.” He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. To Togami’s dismay, he slumped over in an instant, falling towards the heir on a one-way path to the ground.

_ I probably shouldn’t let him fall _ , Togami thought, considering his options. He reached out a hand to stop his collapse and scooted towards Naegi, the smaller boy’s head falling to rest on his shoulder. The rest of his body followed suit: his shoulder pressed into Togami’s arm, and his hand brushed the heir’s leg as it fell, landing face-up on the ground. “Um- Makoto-” he started, flinching away from the contact. “Go sleep on the bed, plankton.”

Naegi didn’t respond.  _ He’s already passed out cold… what an idiot. _ “Makoto,” he repeated, nudging him. “Makoto. You can’t possibly be asleep. Makoto, wake up.”

To his chagrin, his rousing words were only met with soft snores. 

_ I’m cold _ , he’d said. Grumbling, Togami reached for one of the folded jackets - moving as little as possible, so as to not send Naegi tumbling to the ground - and halfheartedly draped it over the sleeping boy.

_ That’s better _ , he presumed.  _ But damn, I need to move.  _ With a glance at Naegi, Togami could tell that he was still fast asleep, and showing no signs of waking, at that. He contemplated picking him up and dumping him on the bed, but he worried that would wake him, and as much as he wanted to let him sleep on the floor, he knew that Naegi needed the continuous rest desperately.

_ Fine, _ Togami groused inwardly.  _ Here we’ll stay. _

\--

The time started crawling by, its passing only marked by the continuous ticking of Monokuma’s monitor countdown timer. Occasionally, Naegi would rouse, twitching or moving to press closer to Togami’s warmth. Sometimes he’d speak to himself, muttering incoherently - the words seemed peaceful most of the time, but a few times he started crying, and Togami had to awkwardly pat his head to get him to stop.

_ What am I, your babysitter?  _ he thought, on more than one occasion.

But he stayed, and Naegi slept, and the timer read  _ 70:30:46, 70:30:45, 70:30:44. _

—

“Makoto. Makoto. It’s been two hours, Naegi Makoto, wake up,” Togami urged, not wanting to remain on the floor any longer. Naegi was pressed close against his side, his head resting on his shoulder still as he slept. The jacket that served as a makeshift ‘blanket’ was still draped over him, although it was starting to slip off - but that went unnoticed, because Naegi had unconsciously forsaken its warmth for Togami’s anyways.

“Mmph,” Naegi groaned. “Wha..”

_ Oh, thank god. _

“You fell asleep on the floor, Makoto,” Togami explained, gritting his teeth. “We have been sitting on the ground here for two hours. Next time you want to spontaneously pass out in the middle of a conversation, kindly do it on the bed,” he said dryly.

“Oh- Ah- I’m really sorry.” Naegi rubbed sleep out of his eyes as he glanced up at the heir, who was watching him emotionlessly. His cheeks flushed when he realized the position they were in. “Ah, I’m so sorry,” he repeated, forcing himself up and away from the warmth of Togami’s side. “I should probably go, I’m sorry-”

“Stop apologizing.” Togami stood abruptly and spun in front of Naegi, all but pinning him to the wall that they had just previously been leaning against for support. “You really think that I would have let any of that happen if I didn’t want to? You forget that I call the shots in this place, Makoto. Apologizing makes you sound ungrateful.” He met Naegi’s eyes with a harsh glare, crossing his arms in frustration. “You needed sleep.”

“Yes, but I should’ve gone back to my room first, I-”

Naegi was interrupted by a loud chortling from the door. “Upupupupu~!”

“What business do you have with us, bear?” Togami growled, stepping away from Naegi to face Monokuma. “We heard your announcement.”

“Aww, a bear can’t just drop by and visit his most fa~voritest students?” Monokuma pouted.

\--

From the control room, Junko’s expression mirrored his: twisted into fake petulance. She tittered with glee as she watched her beloved classmates’ faces shift into that sweet, sweet despair, caused by her mascot’s interruption. “Oh, was I interrupting something?” she said into the input mic, drawing the bear’s expression into a chastised blush. “Upupu, that’s hardly appropriate!”

Junko sighed in pleasure.  _ This is fun _ .

“I- no-!” the lucky idiot began, but he was shut up by Mr. Monopoly clapping a hand over his mouth.

“You would know that we weren’t from watching through the camera positioned in this room,” he said smoothly, clearly irritated. “Do not waste my time with your nonsense.”

_ No, I couldn’t, actually,  _ Junko thought ruefully, but of course, she couldn’t say that. In the bedroom, Monokuma adopted an air of embarrassment. “Upupu~ You caught me.”

“What’re you doing here?” Normal McNormal asked. “Did something happen?”

Junko scowled. “Just checking in!” she finally responded. She smiled as she developed the perfect comeback, derived from listening in on their earlier conversation. “I was just worried about you two idiots! I mean, your ultimatum was given almost 2 and a half hours ago, and ya useless stupidheads haven’t done a thing!” Monokuma - Junko - paused for dramatic effect, drawing out each word. “Aren’t you supposed to be their leader?”

“I…” He seemed to be at a loss for words, unsure of how to proceed.  _ Good. _ Junko smirked.  _ It’s affecting him just as I thought. _

To her surprise, though, Tall, Blonde, and Mean was the one to break the silence.

“Makoto, we’re going,” he snarled, glaring at Monokuma. He grabbed Mr. Average’s wrist and, careful not to actually  _ touch _ the bear (out of fear of punishment, Junko supposed), stormed out of the room.

_ First names now, huh. _ Junko grinned, giving up the chase.  _ This is going to be  _ fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WSHFH I'M BACK, HELLO~  
> yes I'm still alive and yes I'm still working on this fic! the updates just take a bit longer now that life is getting busy again,,  
> thanks for sticking with this story!! xx  
> //  
> as always, please leave kudos/comment if you enjoyed this chapter! I'd also recommend subscribing to get notifications for when it updates now that my posting schedule is irregular.  
> //  
> follow me on insta @kirihinaa !


	14. regret

“Makoto, we’re going.”

“Huh-? Where-” Naegi sputtered, craning his neck to watch Monokuma as they left. Much to his confusion, the bear was simply standing where they left him, his glowing red eye fixed on the exiting pair. “Why’d we leave?”

“Monokuma was goading you. You  _ have _ to realize that.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, looking down as Togami continued to drag him. “Where’re you going?”

“Your room, I assumed,” was the quiet response. The heir’s hand was tight around his wrist -  _ too tight. _

“Um… Byakuya?” Naegi asked feebly. “That hurts.”

Togami nodded and dropped his hand. “Can you unlock your door, Makoto?”

“I, uh… I don’t really want to be there now… if that’s okay.” Naegi grimaced. On bad days like this, he couldn’t stop the memories from haunting him- and there  _ her _ face was, shrouded in shadows. It was the last thing he wanted to go back to his room- the location of her death.  _ All the evidence had been scrubbed away, but the memories still lingered. _

Togami studied his face for a beat, then nodded again and walked back to his room. He reached into his pocket and swore.

“Everything okay?”

“I left my key in the room, and my door’s locked,” he muttered. “I don’t intend to summon Monokuma to open it for us, so we’ll have to go elsewhere.” He paused, as if in thought. “I assume there are still matters you wish to discuss?”

“Yeah- I mean, yes, that would be great, if you’re okay with it.” Naegi looked around. “Um… where should we go?”

“Preferably somewhere Fukawa will not find us.” He glanced at Naegi and, to his surprise, cracked a rare smile.  _ It seemed more cunning than happy, but… _ “Boys’ locker room,” he said. “If that girl tries to enter, she’ll be shot. A courtesy to me and the world.”

“...Locker room it is,” Naegi replied, amused. “I doubt she’ll follow us, though.”

They scanned their Monopads, and the door  _ beep _ ed as it swung open. They were met with the locker room as it always had been- no trace left of the heinous crime that took place on its floor. This room, too, brought back a torrent of unwanted memories: flashbacks to their first discovery of Chihiro’s corpse, the horrific execution that awaited his killer- and, of course, the manipulation of Togami himself. Naegi tried to study his face as he surveyed the room soundlessly.  _ His eyes lingered on the bars for an extra second _ , Naegi noted.  _ I wonder if he’s… _

“Let’s sit,” Togami finally said, shattering the silence. He gestured to the metal bench pressed up against one wall. “There.” He sat down, leaving enough room for Naegi to be seated next to him, although there wasn’t much space available. “I’ll cut right to the chase,” he began, frowning as he stared at the opposite wall. “I assume you are thinking about this room’s murder and my role in it.”

“A bit,” Naegi admitted. His voice low and uncertain, he added, “What you did wasn’t okay.”

“I’m well aware,” Togami responded, not meeting Naegi’s eyes in a rare show of remorse. “The game was growing boring, and I took matters into my own hands.  _ However, _ ” he continued, not letting Naegi interrupt. “I… do not condone my past actions.” He finally made eye contact, and Naegi was finally able to detect the sadness lingering there, the rings that hung heavy under his eyes. “His face…”

“I’m not in a place to be able to say it’s okay,” Naegi started. “Only he can do that. But… I knew Fujisaki well enough that… I think he’d forgive you.” He touched Togami’s hand, squeezing it in an attempt at comfort.  _ It’s sometimes hard to remember that we’re the same age _ , Naegi thought.  _ Usually, Byakuya seems so much more… refined.  _ He stole a glance towards the heir, their hands still overlapping.  _ Now, though… it’s times like these that remind me that he’s human, too. _

“I didn’t expect it to affect me so much,” Togami admitted, his voice thick with emotion and barely audible. “I thought that…”

“I know.” Naegi squeezed his fingers, smiling gently up at him. “The memories from this awful school are going to stick with all of us forever. But it’ll be better since… since we’re all going to escape together. Us six, that are left.”

Togami nodded, letting Naegi catch one last glimpse of his emotions written on his sleeve, and then cleared his throat. “Why are you touching my hand like that?” he asked, clearly insinuating that whatever had just taken place was well over.   
“I, uh,” Naegi stammered, embarrassed at being called out. “I thought it would help?”

“It does.”

“Oh. Um. I’m glad.” Naegi reddened, suddenly conscious of their situation.

“What did you drag me here to talk about, Makoto?”

“I…” Naegi’s voice trailed off, mentally recounting the events of the previous day. “It’s just, a lot changed the other day, right? I can’t… I can’t forget that song. Such a sad one, and… I don’t want you to be sad! I care about you. You’re my friend, and I want to help make you happy again.”

“Why?”

The word took Naegi by surprise. It was simple, monosyllabic, but it confounded him more than any other response could’ve.  _ Why…? _

“What do you mean…?” Naegi asked slowly. “Why wouldn’t I…?”

“You’re too trusting, Makoto,” Togami said, looking away. “You have little reason to trust me, much less be kind. It’s foolish.”

“Of course I do. Sure, you’ve done regrettable things, but haven’t we all? Kyoko basically got me executed. Aoi tried to kill, well,  _ all  _ of us, after Sakura. They’re still my best friends, because they’ve apologized and made up for it, right? Why are you any different?” He paused to think before continuing. “All the times you’ve taken care of me… when I was sick, or hurt, or tired. All the songs you’ve let me hear.  _ That’s _ how you’ve made up for before… and that’s why I’ve forgiven you for how you used to treat me. And it’s why I…” His voice trailed off, and he smiled. “See? I have plenty of reason to trust you.”

“...Makoto.”

“Yeah?”

“Come with me when we get out of here. Be my personal secretary.” His eyes narrowed. “I’m certain it’d pay well more than any other job you could get. The Togami family treats its employees well, and the healthcare and insurance are superb. The other benefits ar-”

“Actually, um…” Naegi shifted uncomfortably. “I’ll have to refuse that offer.”

“Wha- why-!?” Togami sputtered, aghast. “Makoto, do you understand the gravity of this offer?”   
“I do, and… that’s why I don’t want it, actually,” he sighed. “I want to earn a life for myself. Not have it just… given to me, because I have friends in high places. Does that make sense?”

“Then apply. The applications are mostly anonymous, until the last stage. I’ll sort through them and choose the candidates. I’m confident that you’re well equipped for the position, despite your lack of experience. You’re good at following orders, and I’m good at ordering you around.”

“That is true.” Naegi chuckled. “Alright, then. I’ll apply. But only if it really is anonymous-!”

“I don’t lie to you, Makoto. Not anymore. When I give you my word, you can trust it.”

“It’s a deal, then.” Naegi squeezed his hand again, his hand still resting on top of Togami’s. “What time is it?” he asked, yawning. “‘M tired.” He unconsciously leaned into the heir- after all, the locker room was all cold concrete and metal, and Togami, on the other hand, was warm and comfortable.  _ I’ve never really noticed his eyes before, _ Naegi thought distantly, through a haze of exhaustion.  _ They’re beautiful. _

“It’s…” Togami glanced at the monitor on the wall:  _ 69:41:03, 69:41:02, 69:41:01. It’d been two and a half hours since Monokuma had made the announcement, so… _ “Around one-thirty, I presume.”

Naegi sighed. “So much of the day left… I just want to go to sleep.” He stood up. “I’m going to go investigate a bit. There has to be some evidence we haven’t found yet.”

“You need to rest.”

“I need to investigate. I’ll sleep when we’re out of here.”

“…Fine. But I’m coming with. I’m sure you could use my help.” Naegi reached out a hand, and Togami reluctantly took it, pulling himself to his feet. To his surprise, Naegi stepped closer to him, tugging him into a tight hug. “Wh-”

“You seem like you could use a hug,” Naegi mumbled into his chest.  _ He really was short.  _ “I’ll stop if-”

Silently, Togami wrapped his arms around Naegi, reciprocating the action. “Not a word,” he muttered. Naegi nodded, complying. They stayed there, as the clock ticked down ( _ 69:35:17, 69:35:16).  _ Togami swallowed down a lump in his throat, eyes fluttering shut. He was  _ almost _ able to forget everything that had been weighing on his mind - guilt over previous behaviors, the ever-lingering thoughts of his mother, confusion as to why he suddenly was able to find such comfort in Naegi Makoto’s embrace.

The regrets would never leave him, but at least Naegi was there to drive them away.

Eventually, he pulled away, dropping his arms to his side. “Let’s go,” he said, unwilling to acknowledge the affection they’d shown. “Where to?”

“I’ve wanted to check out the second floor dorms, so…?”

“Lead the way, Makoto.”

\--

“Kyoko, do you ever look at someone and just… want to look at them for a really, really long time?”

“How so?” Kirigiri cocked her head, smirking. “As in thinking they’re attractive?” She ran her fingers through her hair, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Asahina, who was making coffee on the other side of the cafeteria. “If so, then yes.”

“Well- no- not exactly?” Naegi hit his head against the table. Asahina walked over to where they were seated, a steaming cup in her hands. “It’s more like-”

“Aoi and the 6 PM heavily sugared coffee are here for support!” she announced. “What’s up?”

“Makoto here is having a dilemma,” Kirigiri explained. “He’s freaking out. Over what, I can’t really tell.” She raised an eyebrow at Asahina’s mug. “You aren’t planning on getting much sleep, I assume,” she said dryly. “Maybe that isn’t the best idea.”

Asahina dismissed her with a smile, turning to Naegi. “What’s going on?”   
“Can I present a hypothetical situation to you guys?” Naegi asked, pressing a finger to his cheek. When the two nodded - Asahina much more enthusiastically - he took a deep breath and started talking. “Okay, so say there’s this person. And they used to be really mean, but now they’re nicer and make you feel really comfortable and warm inside whenever they’re around. And it doesn’t really make sense to you, but you really enjoy their presence, and then you fall asleep on their shoulder and they let you and then you notice that they’re really pretty and you sorta-kinda hold their hand and-”

“Oh my god, you like him,” Asahina interjected, grinning. “Makoto! You totally like him, don’t you?”

“I don’t know! I feel like I shouldn’t, but I also kinda feel like I should? I don’t know. I’m not good at this, you tell me-!” Naegi groaned, burying his head in his hands. “Now really isn’t the best time for feelings like that, either!”

“I can’t think of a better time,” Kirigiri mused. “We have a life-or-death showdown in less than three days. I am confident that we’ll expose the mastermind and escape, but…”

“And we can’t just tell you how  _ you _ feel,” Asahina added, smiling gently. “We can probably help, though…” She stared at the opposite wall thoughtfully for a beat before speaking again. “How do you usually feel around him?”

“Um… intimidated?” Naegi answered, furrowing his eyebrows. “And also… happy? Like, really smiley. But also scared of screwing things up or losing him somehow. Curious about… well, basically everything, and often really surprised by how nice he’s been lately? But mostly just comfortable. Like I could spend any amount of time with him and still be content. Especially here, where  _ nothing _ is comfortable at all.”

“Aww! That’s really cute, Makoto!” the swimmer exclaimed. “I know he and I haven’t had the best history, but… it does really sound like he’s changed.” Naegi nodded. “I’m always gonna be a little wary, but I mean… if you like him, Makoto, why not go for it?”

“I agree.” Kirigiri smiled, placing a hand on Naegi’s shoulder. “It isn’t our place to interfere, but we’ll support you fully. Although, I’m not sure how he’ll take it.”

“Yeah…” Naegi agreed. “I mean, he might not even be into guys.”

“Oh, no, that’s not what I’m saying at all,” Kirigiri amended. “I’m more worried about him being so emotionally incompetent that something goes wrong.”

“That’s a good point…” Asahina muttered. “Sorry, Makoto, but neither of you seem particularly straightforward about this stuff.”

“Oh. Yeah, I agree with that too, honestly,” Naegi admitted. “But, hey, I’m not really sure I’m into him anyways, so… it probably won’t even come to that.” He yawned, stretching. “I should go get some sleep now.”

“Yep!” Asahina exclaimed, too enthusiastically given the time. “Night night, Makoto!”

“Wow, you’re way too caffeinated right now,” Kirigiri muttered. “I’ll take Aoi back to her room. Good night, Makoto. Sleep well.” She linked her arm in Asahina’s and stood, pulling the swimmer up to standing. “Come, let’s go,” she said softly. “How much sugar did you  _ put _ in that?”

“Probably too much!” Asahina replied, practically shouting. “Kyoko, there’s no way I’m sleeping tonight, you know that.” She gasped, beaming. “Hey! We should play board games all night again!”

“If you insist,” Kirigiri smiled. “Alright, now. After you.” Asahina skipped out of the dining hall, and Kirigiri followed, the much more graceful counterpart to her partner. Naegi watched them, smirking slightly.

“And they think  _ I’m _ the oblivious one…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'implied kirihina' is turning into real kirihina whoops  
> anyways! naegami go brrrr  
> //  
> if you're still reading this fic, please leave a comment to let me know,, I'm not sure how many people are still actively following, so it'd be nice to get a number on that haha.  
> //  
> follow me on instagram @kirihinaa


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